Marijuana
growing
operation
raided
By CARL E. HARTDEGEN
Staff Writer
WESTFIELD – A large number of marijuana plants and a wide variety of associated growing and marketing equipment were seized early Wednesday morning when a months-long investigation culminated in a raid on a Lawn Street house.
Members of the city’s city detective bureau were augmented by agents from the federal Drug Enforcement Agency’s Springfield office when a warrant was executed at a single family rented house near Montgomery Road.
Det. Timothy Grady reports that the officers arrived at the suspect address at 7:05 a.m. and knocked on the door. When the suspect, identified as Philip Martin Panidis, 26, of 3 Lawn St., answered the door, the officers served the warrant and entered the house without incident.
Inside, the officers found that one of the rooms had been converted into a growing area with lights for the plants and reflective aluminum foil on the walls to maximize the light the growing plants were exposed to.
“This was a very well established and well-organized” growing operation said Det. Sgt. Raymond Manos.
Grady reports that 67 plants in varying stages of maturity were seized as well as 25 seedlings. Also seized was an ounce of marijuana on drying racks as well as an additional ounce of marijuana in a glass jar. Manos estimated the street value of the drug to be about $120,000.
Grady reports that, in addition to the marijuana, police seized cash, lights, a heavy-duty grinder, a vaporizer, scales and a supply of plastic bags.
Also seized were an assortment of smoking supplies including pipes and bongs.
A dog at the residence was not a complication in the arrest, Grady said. The animal control officer took custody of the pit bull-dog and transported it the Westfield Animal Shelter.
A 2002 Chevrolet at the address was seized and towed to the police impound yard pending an investigation to determine if the vehicle was purchased with tainted money garnered from the marijuana operation.
Panidis was arrested for cultivation of marijuana, for possession of a Class D drug with intent to distribute and, since the address is within 1,000 feet of Westfield High School, for a drug violation near a school or park.
Panidis was released on his own recognizance by a clerk magistrate pending arraignment in Westfield District Court.
Carl E. Hartdegen can be reached at [email protected]
