Large quantity of marijuana confiscated

NEW CASTLE, Pa. -- Matthew T. Mangino, the Lawrence County district attorney, announced that drug task force confiscated more than 1,300 marijuana plants during a joint drug eradication detail with the Pennsylvania National Guard.
The drug eradication effort Thursday used a National Guard helicopter to aid in the detection of marijuana being clandestinely cultivated throughout the county.
A large field of marijuana was located in the Mount Jackson area, and it was immediately removed along with tools, wheelbarrow and fertilizer.
"The National Guard helicopter pilot said this was the largest amount of marijuana in a single area he had ever observed in Pennsylvania," Mangino said.
The estimated street value of 1,324 mature marijuana plants is about $2.6 million. "This is by far the largest amount of marijuana confiscated in Lawrence County history," Mangino said.
The task force is made up of municipal police officers from throughout Lawrence County. Participating in the detail were the New Castle, Union Township, Shenango Township, Ellwood City, and Bessemer police departments.
The marijuana was destroyed with the assistance of New Castle Public Works Department under the task force's supervision.