Illegal Maine marijuana operation busted in Canaan [Video]

CANAAN, Maine — The Somerset County Sheriff’s Office on Tuesday said it broke up yet another illegal marijuana growing operation in a rural part of Maine.

Officers seized more than 30 pounds of processed marijuana and 859 plants from a residence in Canaan on Hinckley Road, the sheriff’s office said, adding no people were found.

The town’s code enforcement officer was called to the scene due to “safety/health violations” at the home, according to the sheriff’s office.

It was the latest in a series of large-scale marijuana busts in rural Maine. In Somerset County alone, there have been 16 busts, according to the sheriff’s office. Authorities said the illegal growing operations are tied to Chinese criminal networks.