About five dozen marijuana plants were seized last week after a helicopter sweep over the Grove Lakes subdivision area, said Bulloch County Drug Suppression Team Inv. Marcus Nesmith.
    Investigators with the drug suppression team requested a fly-over by the Governor’s Task Force, which was in the area last week on other missions as well, he said. The Task Force also located a sizable amount of marijuana plants in Candler County near Excelsior.
    The sweep over Grove Lakes, specifically Circle Drive, followed an earlier investigation where several suspects were previously arrested for criminal attempt to purchase marijuana, Nesmith said. As part of the follow-up investigation, the fly-over was requested and agents spotted what they thought could be marijuana plants.
    When Nesmith went to the Circle Drive residence to question the suspects -  Daniel Smart, 53, Circle Drive; Michael Smart, 24, Circle Drive; Aaron Blake Vickery, 26, Polk Road, Ellabell; and Amy Ranem-Adler, 17, Circle Drive — he looked down as he knocked on the door and saw several marijuana plants, he said.
     “I was knocking at the door and looked over and there were several marijuana plants, by the door,” he said. Some were in a planter while more were rooted in the ground.
    Warrants were taken for the suspects, who were all subsequently arrested on charges of manufacturing marijuana, he said.
    There were 59 plants seized.  The four were taken into custody and posted bond at the Bulloch County Jail.