Massive drug bust

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Neighborhood police raided Jordan Fredrick Cook’s home and found 145 marijuana plants with a street value of about $70,000.

Drug sniffing dogs were not used in the bust, according to Sgt. Mathew Siufanua, Public Information Officer of the Provo Police.

“The house was filled with drugs; almost every single room in the house was filled with marijuana plants. Dogs were not needed,” he said.

Some of the plants were growing in the room where the suspect Cook’s 5-year-old daughter slept.

Cook drove up in his truck as police were raiding his home. Police found Cook to be intoxicated but would not confirm what substance he had been using.

Cook was then arrested and booked into the Utah County Jail for cultivation, possession with intent to distribute, possession of paraphernalia, mislaid property and DUI.

“Apparently the basement was doubling as an in-home greenhouse-style operation. Instead of what you and I would consider to be a more traditional home-based business, officers found the residents were growing approximately 100 marijuana plants,” Provo mayor John Curtis said.

Mayor Curtis credited diligent neighbors for leading police to the marijuana when they reported suspicious activity.

Siufanua wasn’t sure how the neighbors found out about the drugs but explained what typically happens in a case like this.

“Neighbors are pretty keen about their neighbors and who comes and goes. They know who should be there and who shouldn’t. Everybody knows if you’ve got traffic coming and going that there is probably a problem at the house. In this case I don’t know if you had that, maybe you did,” Siufanua said. Police are still investigating to see if Cook was selling drugs out of the home.

Siufanua said the police had other sources of information about the marijuana cache in addition to the neighbors’ tip.

Cook’s 5-year-old daughter was not in the home when police arrived and is now in the custody of her mother.

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