Williamsburg police destroy over 1,500 marijuana plants at home in southern Whitley County

Police took down more than 1,500 marijuana plants Monday in southern Whitley County and cited Tanner Ray Jenkins for cultivating marijuana – over five plants.

Williamsburg Police Chief Wayne Bird said his department received a tip of marijuana growing at a home on Snuffy Reynolds Road.

Working with the Kentucky State Police Marijuana Eradication Team, officers went to the home in the Mountain Ash Community about 2 p.m.

We had to walk about half a mile into the woods," Bird said.

Officers found the plants growing in plastic swimming pools. Bird said each plant was worth about $2,000. The 1,572 plants had an estimated street value of $3.144 million if they were allowed to fully mature.

Bird said Jenkins was cited ordered to appear in court.

"That is normally what the marijuana eradication team does," Bird said of issuing the citation. "Jenkins had no criminal history and was extremely cooperative. The case will have to go to the grand jury, anyway."