State law enforcement took to the air last week as part of the Governor’s Task Force on Marijuana Eradication searched portions of DeKalb County, on the lookout for marijuana growing operations.

According to DeKalb County Sheriff Patrick Ray the Task Force seized about 30 plants, in two separate locations, including in-doors and outdoors, on Barnes Mill Road. “They [The Task Force] called us to come and process the scenes. We seized the marijuana and grow equipment and charges are pending,” Sheriff Ray said.

The original member agencies of the Task Force identified in the Governor's Executive Order #51 are:

Tennessee Alcoholic Beverage Commission (TABC)
Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (TBI)
Tennessee Highway Patrol (THP)
Tennessee National Guard (TNG)
Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency (TWRA)

Authorities ask that anyone with information on any drug trafficking, or other marijuana growing operations, to call the Sheriff’s Department at 615-597-4935 or the crime tip line 615-464-6400.

The successful operations of the Task Force are not possible without the support of the Drug Enforcement Administration's (DEA) Domestic Cannabis/Eradication/Suppression Program (DCESP). Other federal and state agencies give support as needed, along with the 95 Sheriffs in Tennessee, the local police departments, and the Judicial District Drug Task Forces.

These Agencies typically provide assistance when Task Force operations are being conducted within their respective geographical areas. Each of these agencies provides different types of needed resources all of which are vital to the success of the Task Force operations. Additionally, prosecutorial resources are provided by the District Attorneys General of Tennessee and the three Tennessee United States Attorneys for cases indicted as a result of the eradication effort.

The primary objective of the Task Force remains to provide public safety for the citizens of Tennessee through:

·         Seeking out, eradicating, and destroying marijuana found growing within the borders of the State of Tennessee;

·         Prevent and deter marijuana growth in Tennessee by effecting arrests and prosecutions of individuals and groups who knowingly participate in this illegal activity;

·         Efficient and effective collection, sharing, and utilization of intelligence information to further the first two objectives;

·         Utilization of new methods and technology to dismantle, eliminate and/or disrupt these illegal actions.