by Associated Press. Posted on Sunday, February 1 2009 03:50:39 PM

Police around the world continue to use the internet to hunt marijuana growers
ZURICH, Switzerland (AP) — Swiss police said Thursday they stumbled across a large marijuana plantation while using Google Earth, the search engine company's satellite mapping software.
Police said the find was part of a bigger investigation that led to the arrest of 16 people and seizure of 1.2 tons (1.1 metric tons) of marijuana as well as cash and valuables worth 900,000 Swiss francs ($780,000).
Officers discovered the hemp field in the northeastern canton (state) of Thurgau last year while investigating an alleged drug ring, said the head of Zurich police's specialist narcotics unit Norbert Klossner.
The plantation, measuring almost two acres (7,500 square meters), was hidden inside a field of corn. But officers using Google Earth to locate the address of two farmers suspected of involvement in the drug operation quickly spotted the illegal crop.
"It was an interesting chance discovery," said Klossner.
Prosecutor Gabi Alkalay told reporters in Zurich that she plans to complete her criminal investigation in February, after which she will formally charge the 16 suspects and ask for prison sentences for all of them.
The gang is alleged to have sold up to 7 tons (7.7 US tons) of hashish and marijuana between 2004 and 2008, with an annual turnover of 3-10 million francs a year, officials said.
- Article from the Associated Press



FUCK GOOGLE!

ouch yeah i thought google was cool. damn. damn. better google earth your gorilla grows make sure they aren't visable. highly doubt it tho because most images they have are old. I really dont like the street view tho. i checked out the block by where i live and saw a few deals going down in the street view lol i laughed my ass off

hmm i thought google earth has about 8 years delay on it, i can still see my first car out on my drive! Unless that grow had been there a long time i'd say they've used google earth as a cover story. maybe to protect a snitch?
just a theory

Could be, or maybe those guys had been growing in that field that long...

Google has been said to be very receptive to cooperating with the feds when asked tho, food for thought.

Hmm...wonder if any of us could find it

Pop this number into where you would put the address or city in google maps 47.609848,9.115391 What ya think? Kinda looks like some bud in the middle of a corn crop no?

On second though that can't be it, the article says 7,500m sq, that must be huge but I'm too tired ATM to keep looking.

Would make for an interesting contest though, Where's White Widow!

BTW I got those coords by right clicking on the spot and hitting get directions to here and you'll see the numbers in on of the boxes on the left.

Just for shits and giggles I checked my house and the sat view has been updated from last I looked at it a few years ago, my new(ish) car is out front of my house and there is construction nearby that would prove that image was taken within the last year.

shit i've just spent hours zooming around on google earth! found some interesting things but no fields of green alas

Danm, For fun me and my buds run into corn fields during the summer. If I ever found that.......i cant even imagine.

If you have google earth pro, its up to date pictures and even a better resolution.

by the way I hate thew new riu :/ BRING BACK THE OLD!