SABATTUS — Police have eliminated a sophisticated growing operation on Bowdoinham Road, finding more than half a million dollars’ worth of marijuana growing inside what looked, from the outside, like a garage, Police Chief Anthony Ward said.

David P. Bizier, 48, who also lived at 227 Bowdoinham Road, was arrested on a charge of unlawful trafficking in scheduled drugs.

Ward said Lt. Matthew Prince and Detective Sgt. Gary Baillargeon received tips two weeks ago about the operation and gathered enough evidence to obtain a search warrant Thursday. They went in Friday with the Maine Drug Enforcement Agency.

Police seized hundreds of plants, just under a pound of processed marijuana, more than $3,000 cash and a Dodge pickup truck. MDEA gave the marijuana an estimated street value of $600,000.

The plants, in various stages of growth, were packed inside one building with a lighting and irrigation system, Ward said. Other outbuildings were used for equipment.

“This was a very sophisticated grow,” he said.

He credited his officers for their quick work and said he was pleased to think about the drugs taken off local streets.

Bizier was taken to the Androscoggin County Jail on Friday where he posted bail.

kskelton@sunjournal.com

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