Quarrel may be linked to drug find in Durant

DURANT — A bad breakup or a lovers’ quarrel are the leading theories Bryant County officials have for finding nearly $500,000 worth of someone’s property strewn about a Durant area street last week. Just as surprising as the overall value was the property itself: 236 potted, high-grade marijuana plants.

"Strangest thing I’ve ever seen,” said Chuck Carroll, field supervisor for the District 19 Drug Task Force. "That (a domestic dispute) is the first thing that came to our minds. Someone wanted this marijuana to be found.”

A caller reported "shrubs” in the road about 1:30 a.m. Tuesday and called back a short time later saying they appeared to be marijuana, Carroll said.

Some plants were standing upright and others toppled, in the middle of and next to the street.

Carroll and the deputies found about 156 in several groups, each about 100 yards apart. They found 80 more about a mile away.

The Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs Control estimates the plants’ street value at $2,000 each.

"Crazy. Someone’s Christmas is going to be lean this year,” Carroll said. "These were indoor-grown, very good marijuana plants.”

Investigators had not made any arrests as of late last week. The plants were destroyed.

"We got a county commissioner to dig us a hole and furnish some diesel, and we burned it,” Carroll said. "A half-million dollars’ worth of marijuana up in smoke.”