Tallapoosa Police spearheaded a major investigation Wednesday, Oct. 14, that led to the discovery of a “very sophisticated” marijuana-growing operation concealed in a building on 330 Golf Course Road in Tallapoosa.

Tallapoosa Police Chief Scott Worthy said the bust took the help of several West Georgia law enforcement agencies, including Haralson, Carroll and Paulding County police and the Haralson-Paulding Drug Task Force, who arrived at the scene of the massive recovery of drug paraphernalia and other products that enabled manufacturers to “produce millions of dollars” worth of marijuana, according to information Worthy received from an investigator in the case.

“It was a very elaborate setup. They had tables, 500-gallon water containers, grow lights. It was just a total hydroponics setup,” Worthy described.

He said the investigation began several months ago after a citizen called police with concerns about suspicious activity going on at the building where the drug manufactory was later discovered.

Worthy said the resident’s concerns prompted police to visit the location to find out what type of business was actually being run. Though police heard people inside upon their arrival, Worthy said no one would answer the door, and it “got quiet” as if no one was there at the time.

“We began to keep a close eye on things for a while, and after we found out the persons involved, we were told the business was either used to store antique cars or served as an office supply store. We checked their criminal history, and then obtained a search warrant for the business that the Drug Enforcement Agency came down to issue.”

In addition to utilities records from Georgia Power and water records from the city of Tallapoosa that police had subpoenaed for the investigation, Worthy said research further revealed that four of the people allegedly involved in the drug ring were residents of Paulding County who had relocated from Broward County, Fla., to operate the drug manufactory.

“They bought the building in February of this year and brought up electricians and got everything built. They were probably in the business of manufacturing since April,” he added.

Worthy said the investigation ended with three arrest warrants, which were issued outside of the Tallapoosa jurisdiction. Three of the alleged participants also received charges in Tallapoosa for manufacturing marijuana; however, the case is still under investigation.

Laureen Hobdy is being held at the Haralson County Jail, while Richard Carl Fata and Judd Alexander Hobdy are being held at the Paulding County Jail. Another man, Jason Henry Pimpenpel, is still being sought by police.