Marijuana Growth Operation Found Next to Bosque County State Park

Yesterday, the Bosque County Sheriff’s Office and the Meridian State Park Police received information about a marijuana grow operation on a property next to the State Park.

According to a press release, BCSO deputies and a State Park Police officer investigated the information and found a large grow operation, and what appeared to be two Hispanic males who fled on foot in the area.

"The Sheriff’s Office set up a perimeter around the area, and a Texas Game Warden tracking dog was called in," said the release. "The tracking dog was unable to locate the two Hispanics after a long track. The Sheriff’s Office, Texas Parks and Wildlife Game Wardens, State Park Police, Constable Pct. 1 , Meridian Police Department, and Clifton Police Department converged on the grow area and found a campsite and approximately 30 thousand immature Marijuana plants."

Officials said it appears the operators were pumping water out of Bee Creek with a generator and two water pumps to water the plants. The generator was buried in a hole that was approximately 7 feet deep and covered with cedar limbs. Additionally, the water pumps were painted to camouflage them.

"There was enough food and gas on scene to stay in the woods for at least a month, and all items that were on scene had to be walked in through the brush," said BCSO officials. "Officers pulled up all the plants and they were destroyed on site. Officers also collected evidence from the scene in hopes of identifying suspects."

A similar growth sight was found in Menard County on the June 29, and the Sheriff’s Office will be working with officials there to see how they may be connected.

"The Sheriff’s Office would like to thank Bosque County Emergency Manager Tim Jeske, drone operators out of Johnson County, Meridian Fire Department, Pct. 3 Commissioner Ronnie Liardon, and all the law enforcement agencies involved," said BCSO officials.