A Waldoboro man was arrested early Friday morning following a multi-agency raid on his Friendship Rd. residence, where police seized over one hundred pot plants in various stages of growth, processed marijuana, psilocybin mushrooms, Hydrocodone pills and heroin.
Geoffrey Merritt, 48, was arrested at his residence and transported to Two Bridges Regional Jail in Wiscasset after police found 138 marijuana plants growing on the second floor of his house, according to Waldoboro Police Chief Bill Labombarde.
“It appeared as though he had been doing it (growing and selling marijuana) for a number of years,” Labombarde said.
Waldoboro Police, the Maine Drug Enforcement Agency, Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office and Maine State Police executed the search warrant of Merritt’s residence following up on a yearlong investigation into Merritt cultivating and selling marijuana, according to a press release from the Waldoboro Police Dept.
This is the second marijuana plant cultivation bust in the past couple of months. Waldoboro Police seized more than 300 marijuana plants from a Depot St. residence back in early April. According to police at the time of the other raid, there is a growing trend where people rent houses for commercial drug operations.
The growing operation in Merritt’s residence was different than the Depot St. operation in that it was found in his family’s home, Labombarde said.
Police also seized from Merritt’s residence approximately $1000 in cash, approximately five pounds of processed marijuana, one half ounce of psilocybin mushrooms, 31 Hydrocodone pills (10 MG), and approximately 2.3 grams of heroin.
According to Labombarde, Merritt has been charged with Aggravated Unlawful Trafficking of Marijuana (Class C), Unlawful Trafficking of Heroin (Class B), Unlawful Possession of Hydrocodone (Class C) and Cultivation of Marijuana.
Police estimated the combined street values of all seized drugs in the raid to be approximately $153,000 and believe the drugs were being distributed throughout Lincoln and Knox counties.
Roughly four hours after completion of the raid and Merritt’s subsequent arrest, Chief Labombarde drove to the Miller School in Waldoboro to help orchestrate the DARE program (Drugs and Alcohol Resistance Education) graduation.
“Ultimately, it’s our goal to keep drugs off our streets and protect children,” Labombarde said.
According to Special Agent James Pease of the MDEA, the processed marijuana found in Merritt’s residence has a street value of approximately $10,000, (when sold at $2000 per pound).
Police estimate the 2.3 grams of heroin would produce 150 individual bags, each valued at $25. According to police, the Hydrocodone pills hold a street value of $10 per pill and $150 for the half ounce of psilocybin mushrooms.
Chief Labombarde encourages anyone with information regarding the manufacture, sale or distribution of illegal drugs in their community to contact police. The phone number to the DMEA is: 594-6188.