Police in Culpepper found an "elaborate" pot-growing operation in the basement of a Culpepper home Wednesday afternoon.
James P. Berry, 47, of the 300 block of Wayland Road, was charged with felony intent to distribute marijuana and with manufacturing marijuana not for personal use after cops followed a tip to his Culpepper home.
As soon as detectives at the home, police said in a news release, they could smell "green" marijuana - a smell that grew stronger as they approached the house. After obtaining a search warrant, the police found a trap door that led into a basement, which had all its windows and doors barricaded.
Inside the police found three indoor grow tents, 100 live pot plants, 20 pounds of dried pot and hydroponics equipment.
Culpepper police said the street value of the drugs was about $300,000, and that this was the biggest bust of a pot-growing operation in Culpepper.
