ziadel

I have been told that there are helicopters that have THC detectors on them. Is there any truth to this?
WHat I need to know basically, how do they catch indoor growers, besides the suspiscious 300 buck spike in the power bill.


and before any huge discussion kicks off about why I am asking, lets just say, I'm a metal fabricator, and I feel there may be an untapped niche market for growing your own tyme covertly.

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stevie667

Usually a tip off from neighbours about suspicious behaviour (lots of people in and out/blacked out windows/strange smells e.t.c), or a police investigation into a person reveals they bought lots of high intensity lights, growing equipment and what-not on their credit cards.

If someone is growing large amounts at home, they are probably known to the police, or will know someone known to the police, and its only a matter of following breadcrumbs, as somewhere along the line theres an idiot.

No truth to THC detectors, if they did, i don't think home growers would be the top of the list for people to fly over with helicopters.

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cyrnel

Power utilization and heat signature.

I read an article several years ago about a gent who travelled the West setting up grow houses professionally. He made an exceptional living doing it. He wasn't involved in day-to-day operations but he built with those needs in mind. Lots of insulation and I seem to remember underground heat sinks, big quiet generators, and even solar. Solar for power but more to go along with a green appearance so hot water storage and other sinks would mask hot zones. Couples posed as wealthy homeowners periodically tending their "second home." The idea was that busts affected nobody or as few people as possible and the crops had already covered expenses. Sounded like a fascinating "alternative lifestyle" for someone with the cajones.

No doubt the game has advanced since that story was published.

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Val_1

Power and water usage are a huge tip off for the big producers. Also, grow lights give off a very specific spectrum that is easily spotted with the right equipment.

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Rodney

Around here, it's mainly the power company, then informers. If you grow for profit, you need contacts. And you can't really trust your contacts.

If your community has a store that deals in hydroponics supplies, the cops may well stake it out. That happened around here. Whenever somebody drove in and made a serious purchase, they (the sheriffs) wrote down his license number or followed him home, and investigated.

After a while, the local drug lawyers compared notes and figured out that their grower clients were all getting busted right after going to the hydro store! The sheriffs took a lot of flak for profiling (and being lazy), and the store moved into the city limits, away from the sheriffs. The city cops don't care.

cookmo

Your best bet would to go small scale. Buy a large tall metal locker/closet and grow some really kind bud in there. Then you can padlock it. You wont have as much quantity, but if you pick a good enough quality, you can make some decent cash. Just dont smoke your profits.=) And keep the fact that your growing to yourself.



Another thing you could do is find someone with a lot of property, pick a secluded spot, and grow it there without them knowing.

Willravel

I've grown veggies underground before (just to see if I could). The only thing I didn't have was an alternate power source. A smart covert grower would simply need something like a windmill or solar panels to gain power independance. Honestly, I don't know how home growers are dumb enough to get caught. Supply should be from the source to the garage into the auto. Nothing suspicious about driving out of your garage. Have a nice big garden in the back yard (and share your veggies with he neighbors, as a gesture of kindness and friendship), to explain the soil and plant stuff. Don't use AND deal, stupid!!

The only real reason I don't do it is because I don't like to be surrounded with pot heads. I graduated from college already.

Brewmaniac

I've read that DEA & cops use helicopters/planes and they use infrared cameras and when they find extreme hot spots they then investigate on the ground and it's only a matter of time.

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krwlz

Note: While the smell of burning marijuana can sometimes be used as reasonable suspician, I read about a case or two getting thrown out, because the cops in question "Didn't have sufficient knowledge tell the smell of growing pot from the smell of anything else growing".


Just thought I'd throw that out there, lol. Personally, when and if I were to grow... Just get some outdoor going on a really small scale.

Willravel

I'd be willing to bet that rivals might be the biggest problem for suppliers. After thinking about it for a bit, it's really not difficult to set up an indoor farm, produce, refine, and distribute. My main concern would be the nature of the business world that you'd be entering. Yes, demand is probably high enough to easily keep up with increased production locally pretty much anywhere, but the price of the good is based partially on the availability. In other words, more pot on the market decreases it's overall value. Other producers and dealers (who were able to get off the couch) would probably view a new competitor on the market as a problem. While it's not an industry like food, it does follow a lot of the same rules. The problem is that all it takes is one pissed off producer or distributor to call the police.

The only way I can see to avoid this is have a middleman who isolates you completly from the lifestyle. Have someone you trust completly do all the face to face and drops. I'm reminded of the way Tony Soprano was going to make Christian during season 4 or 5. No one knows who you are, where you are, or how to find you.

Boy, I can see where this can become somewhat complicated.

Dilbert1234567

so is my server farm in my garage going to tip them off with my high electric bill and high heat signature? my bill is about twice what a house my size shoudl have, and my garage never gets blow 85F at night.

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analog

Yeah, don't be surprised if you get a knock on the door/door knocked in by the DEA one of these days. lol

And yes, they can use IR to detect marijuana plants if they're outdoors. I don't think it's sensitive enough to get you if they're in your house, underground. To combat this, I've *heard* that a person should plant one tomato plant for every two marijuana plants, and it somehow scrambles or negates the IR signature of the marijuana plant. All I know is, it's not heresay or conjecture, it's reality.

But yeah- you need a totally independent power source for the lights and water pumping. Also, if it's not totally underground, make sure you insulate the hell out of the room or your house will light up like a christmas tree on a thermal scanner.

splck

Nothing like growing your own tomatoes all year round. Around here (BC) they get quite technical about growing indoors. Start with an electrical bypass of the meter, if your using a water swamper, then drill holes in the blades of the water meter so it spins slow, add huge activated carbon air scrubbers for odor control.
The number one way they get busted is a phone tip by a rat or a neighbor. The second is an electrical shortage in the area or an electrical fire at the house. I suppose a heat detector would work, but any decent tomato grow around here is well insulated.
A THC detector in a helicopter is a load of shit, but I'm sure the cops would like people to believe there is one.

Buy yourself an old hotub and leave it so it can be seen from the street so as to justify your electrical usage.

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Craven Morehead

a dumbass friend of mine put his plants in the window of his apartment to get more light

Randerolf

Ziadel, if you'd like to find more about the subject, I recomend reading Eric Schlosser's Reefer Madness. It talks about black markets, but specificaly marijuana growing, illegal workers, and pornography. I do not rememebr all the details since it has been some time since I've "read" this audio book.

warrrreagl

Your o.p. had a question about helicoptors and we're getting a dose of that now. Some afternoons I come home from work to find Grancey standing in the front yard staring straight up at the sky motionless. She tells me it's the pot helicoptors (they had an article in out local paper warning of their impending sweeps) and she likes to watch them to see if they focus on any of our neighbor's houses.

I thought the helicoptors were using infrared to identify the heat signature of pot plants grown outdoors, but Grancey tells me they can see inside greenhouses and houses now, too. I don't know. Maybe Grancey will see this thread and clarify.

I do know that she owns land in the Alabama backwoods and it's always a concern that the DEA will find pot growing out there that belongs to someone else and she will lose her land over it. That's one of the best reasons for leasing land to hunters so they can act like a small armed enforcement militia and wander all over the areas you normally never go.

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ziadel

I'm not so much interested in growing (at least not until my medical card comes through, I have way too many guns to risk) as I am making secure, insulated, completely freestanding grow chambers. Just plug this into the wall, run a water hose into here, screw in a 20 ounce c02 bottle here, set the switch for flowering or vegetative and you are ready to rock.

HEPA filter the intake and the exhaust fans, etc, just something really trick, solid and turnkey.

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Ustwo

It always amazes me that people are willing to risk their personal freedom to indulge in an activity which, according to everyone it seems, is non-habit forming and not harmful.

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FallenAvatar

It isn't worth it!

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sprocket

Theres shit tons of money to be made, shouldnt be amazed at all Not to mention, you dont really have to pay taxes on drug money.

Edit: also with laws slacking up on marijuana all around the country, punishments are becoming less extreme. The risks are lessening, although in big amounts, youre still going to do a lot of time in most places. With any luck, we'll eventually see nationwide decriminalization/legalization.

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cyrnel

Isn't that the situation with control of any vice? Where there's a market...

Pot production today shows striking similarites to alcohol production during prohibition.

I've always wondered if the tax potential of legalizing weed would overcome resistance from legal vice suppliers and the stigma we've cultivated for so many years. Otherwise, if we're better off as a society without its influences, should we restrict other mind altering influences for the same reasons?

Why not TV?

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Ustwo

Well assuming its for personal use, I don't see why one would take the risk. For money, sure, its an easy way for the less motivated to make a quick buck but the risks don't seem worth it.

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skier

Telling one person is one too many people to tell.

Growing commercially is dangerous because of the simple fact that others know you are a grower- to get around that you can disguise that truth by saying you bought the marijuana you grew and sell it yourself or to another dealer. Another way is by having only one connection that you sell to. They still carry plenty of risk.

On a very large scale you would have to have connections with a distribution network to sell all the pot you grew. basically an organized crime syndicate. Higher risk, higher rewards.

Indoor growers mainly get caught by telling a close friend or relative, who let slip the secret to a less close friend, which eventually gets around to an undercover officer or good samaritan with anti-pot feelings who calls his local police station. A small percentage will get caught through unusual infrared readings (for those places with police helicopters and funds to conduct such a search) and high power usage. The power and water issue is usually negated because for large operations growers will purchase houses in luxurious neighborhoods where a high powerbill is commonplace- the house is essentially a shell to protect the grower. The house itself is usually flipped for a profit as well. With small operations the power issue is negligible- to avoid a power spike all you need to do is conserve power in other areas like turning off lights when you leave a room.

Sorry if this is long winded, i find learning about this kind of stuff fascinating.

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sprocket

Well like I said, for personal use, its basically a misdemeanor in many places depending on the amount. A $100 bag of weed is going to land you in a drug education course and you might also get some community service or probation.. in some states/communities punishments are still harsh, but essentially its the same as getting a speeding ticket everywhere else.

Some overzealous prosecutor may try to charge someone w/ "intent to distribute" for growing one or two plants for personal use, but unless the defense lawyer is incompetent, its not going to go very far.

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Rodney

Damn, that would be an original racket. Start a low-rent server farm in a rented space, advertise as such -- and grow dope there at the same time.

Willravel

This thread is starting to confirm my earlier suspician. Criminality has a certian exciting taboo about it that makes it an interesting topic. To plan out what could be if one were to abandon morality or legality and persue a dangerous, yet potentially exciting and profitable venture is exhilarating. I'm starting to wonder about a new direction for the thread:

Would you commit to producing MJ if you had an iron clad plan, with minimal risk?

Edit: To clairify the question...If you were to be given the plans and resources that successful growers have access to (thus suggesting you take the same risks as a practiced and experienced pot grower), would you?

longbough

If you're an indoor grower they'll usually catch you when your most loyal customer comes bolting through your open front door, into your living room and out the back door when running from the cops after a failed 7-11 robbery attempt ...

Anyways ... regardless of the added income the benefit vs. risk makes it a no-brainer for me. Sure, you might not be caught at all ... but it just takes one time to ruin your day and to give you a criminal record. You'll be surprised at how a criminal record affects you for the rest of your life when filling applications etc.

Outside of the novelty of doing it I don't think it's really worth it. I've got to much to lose in my life to even think of doing something illegal on a continuous basis while keeping criminal "evidence" in my own home.

Aww ... c'mon, willravel.
You should know better than to phrase a loaded question like that.
It's a purely academic question ... what constitutes "iron clad" or "minimal?" That doesn't translate to reality.

Sure, if had an "iron clad" plan to rob banks with minimal risks I'd rob banks ...

ASU2003

The number one thing is to make sure nobody else finds out that you are a grower. Make sure it doesn't look suspicious. And make sure you launder the money into a few different numbered off-shore accounts.

Make sure you trust the sellers, that even if they get caught, they would take the fall and do the time instead of turning you in.

Wouldn't you want to have a humidifier in your basement?

And couldn't you use Alka-Seltzer & water to produce CO2?

Make sure that the plants are in a secure area that is always closed.

Dane Bramage

IMO - the best way to stay below the radar is to NOT grow for profit. I have known several people that have grown for several years for personal supply. None of them ever got busted. One key is that only a very, very few close and personal friends (known for many, many years) knew that they were doing it. To everyone else, they just always had good dope.

It's also much easier if you keep the scale down. A closet or spare bathroom is enough to keep yourself in doobage. Also, unless you live in BFE, the cops don't care about one person growing for one person. They want the people that have fields... entire basements full of it. Basic rule... don't sell, and you won't get busted.

As far as your question, Will... I'd have to say no. I thought about it... quite often, but I never quite felt right about it. I own a house, and no matter how careful one is, there is always a slight chance that the hammer will come down, and... blip... there goes the house, car, wife, kids. Bye-bye. Nah... to much risk. Besides, as has been said above, you can never really trust your "people". I don't care who you got working for you, they will get to them.

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krwlz

That's pretty much tops. NY is pretty strict about... Well most everything. My buddy and I got busted (and he took the fall, what a great guy!) with a half ounce, and a pipe. It got confiscated, Judge gave him max fine of 200 dollars total. Expensive yes, but then it doesnt even get on your record. I think theres a 3 strikes and youre out system there. After a third time, max penalty is a couple days in jail, and a fine, and they generally dont hand out the jail time.

ziadel

where in NY are you? Albany area its a ticket for posession of anything up to an ounce.

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krwlz

Upstate near Albany. And yea, it was just a ticket. But that was the penalty the judge handed out. Up to an oz you're pretty much all set, unless you have an oz minus a gram or two, a box full of baggies and a digital scale. Then youre fucked. According to the judge though, third strike and it's more severe.