Saginaw Chippewa Tribe raids marijuana operation on reservation


Chief Steve Pego displays a birch bark document that the tribe used to declare a war on substance abuse. Photo from Saginaw Chippewa Tribe

Police from the Saginaw Chippewa Tribe of Michigan raided a marijuana operation on the reservation on Sunday.

Police found an "unusually high number of marijuana plants" at the home in Chippewa Township, according to a press release. Officers seized 102 plants and 14 pounds of the drug there.

One of the occupants grows the drug for medicinal purposes but was unable to provide sufficient documentation for the number of plants there, The Mt. Pleasant Morning Sun reported. John Roy Bendele, 43; Raymond Dangelo Lynn, 20; and Joseph Ryan Terrell, 19, are now facing a slew of charges in Isabella County.

"It is our intention to seek out and expose any individual or group conducting illegal drug operations within our reservation and surrounding lands. We will seek prosecution to the fullest extent of the law," Chief Steve Pego said. "I am proud that we have such a diligent police department and we can count on them to ensure we meet this War on Drugs head on."

The tribe declared a war on substance abuse last year in response to drug issues in the community.

Get the Story:
Tribe busts three in medical marijuana raid (The Mt. Pleasant Morning Sun 9/30)

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