Maine Neighbors Report a Fire, Crews Find 2K+ Illegal Pot Plants

While fire crews in Turner found no flames when investigating a possible fire, they did find a room full of illegal marijuana plants.

Where Was the Marijuana Found?

The discovery of the illegal grow operation began on January 31st, 2024, just before 11:30 in the morning. The Androscoggin County Regional Communications Center got a call from a resident who said they thought a building at 2509 Auburn Road in Turner might be on fire. The caller said they could see smoke coming out of the eaves of the garage.

What Was the 'Smoke' the Caller Said They Saw?

A Deputy with the Androscoggin County Sheriff's Office went to the address, along with members of the Turner Fire-Rescue Department. When they arrived, they found no evidence of fire. Instead, they found what initially appeared to be approximately 500 marijuana plants growing inside the building. The garage had grow lights, chemical fertilizers, dehumidifiers, and propane heaters. What the person who had called authorities saw coming out from under the eaves of the structure was steam generated by the large number of plants contained in the building.

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The Maine Office of Cannabis Policy was notified and an investigator confirmed that there were no records of any grow license being issued for that address. The homeowner, who is from Massachusetts, was also checked out and found to have no license for growing large quantities of marijuana.

Was Anyone Arrested?

A search warrant was obtained and deputies seized approximately 2,500 marijuana plants. So far no arrests have been made but the investigation is ongoing. It's not known, at this time, if this operation is related to similar marijuana grows that have been seized in Lincoln, Kennebec, and Somerset counties.

We'll update this story as more details become available.