Police take down marijuana grow houses in Renton and Newcastle

More than 1,200 plants and 14 pounds of marijuana were found.

By Haley Ausbun • December 13, 2018 3:57 pm

The following information is from a Newcastle Police Department press release:

Newcastle police, in conjunction with King County Sheriff’s Office detectives, found more than 1,200 plants and 14 processed pounds of marijuana at 1900 block of Union Avenue Northeast in Renton and at 13200 block of Southeast 91st in Newcastle.

Evidence from a several month long investigation led detectives to believe the houses were being used to illegally grow marijuana. Detectives served search warrants on the houses on Dec. 13.

A 50-year-old Seattle man was arrested near the scene of the Renton search and booked to King County Jail for investigation of controlled substance manufacturing. Charging and filing decisions will be referred to King County Prosecutor’s office for the man arrested, and other’s known to be involved.

Some “astute neighbors” alerted Newcastle police of suspicious activity at one of the houses. During the investigation, officers were able to determine the Newcastle house owners also had a property in Renton. The properties and cars are subject to seizure by Newcastle and King County officers.

Grows like this still remain illegal in Washington; selling and growing marijuana is only legal for licensed individuals and companies.

The amount of product these large home grows produce ends up in the hands of minors, police said. They also divert large amounts of power, creating fire risk to the property and neighborhoods, and produce waste that can be hazardous if not properly disposed of.