Bust nets marijuana crop

The Mat-Su Drug Team collared a Wasilla man Friday morning after a search of the mans home revealed the Valleys largest marijuana growing operation discovered to date.

The drug team served a search warrant early Friday morning at the residence of Keith Grossman, 36, and Mary Grossman, 29, at 800 McAdoo Way, off Schrock Road, and discovered more than 2,000 marijuana plants growing under a sophisticated lighting system.

With the help of uniformed police officers and the National Guard Counter Drug Team, the Mat-Su Drug Team seized 2,060 marijuana plants in various stages of growth in the double-car garage and lower levels of the Grossmans tri-level home.

Keith Grossman was arrested without incident and charged with four counts of fourth-degree misconduct involving a controlled substance.

He was no problem, but of course, he wasnt happy, drug team officer Steve Adams said.

Grossman was booked at Mat-Su Pre Trial Friday in lieu of $15,000 bail. Charges against Mary Grossman have been forwarded to the District Attorney.

They had a pretty elaborate system, although there was nothing spectacular about it, Adams said. Grossman was, however, utilizing his space and electricity well.

Adams said the Grossmans had been using an electrically operated track lighting system that enabled them to use a less than average number of lights per plant.

Investigators usually estimate the number of plants by the amount of electricity used.

However, they grossly underestimated the operation at the Grossman home, making the assumption there would be approximately 10 lights in use and around 250 plants. In fact, Adams said, there were fewer than 10 grow lights being used and far more plants.

The average is 25 plants or so per light. In this case, they had close to 200 plants under a light because of the track system, Adams said.

They were not massive marijuana plants, but rather with a system such as this one, Adams said, smaller plants are grown with a shorter cycle, thereby forcing them to bud sooner.

No cash or weapons were seized at the home, but Adams said the large number of plants may warrant the involvement of the Drug Enforcement Agency and possibly more search warrants.

Prior to this seizure, the largest number of marijuana plants netted by the Mat-Su Drug Team in the Valley was 1,456 plants.