Officers Find $320K in Marijuana at Lexington County Grow House

Officers seized 154 marijuana plants, about 15 pounds of marijuana and six firearms Friday at a house near Swansea, according to the Lexington County Sheriff's Department. 

The marijuana plants and marijuana found at the "sophisticated indoor growing operation" at 980 Gus Sturkie Road is worth about $320,000, according to the sheriff's department. A man and his wife are accused of running the growing operation. 

John Steve Tindall, 49, and Brenda Darlene Tindall, 49, are charged with trafficking in more than 10 pounds of marijuana and possessing a weapon during the commission of a violent crime, according to the sheriff's department. 

Officers with the Narcotics Enforcement Team (NET) went to the Tindalls' home around 12:43 p.m. Friday to investigate a tip that the couple was operating an indoor growing operation on their property, according to the sheriff's department. 

Officers smelled a strong odor of marijuana emanating from an old home and another building on the couple’s property, according to the sheriff's department. They also saw supplies that are used for indoor marijuana growing operations in the yard outside the old home and building.

When officers executed a search warrant at the couple’s property on Gus Sturkie Road, they found the sophisticated indoor marijuana growing operation in the old home and building on the property,  as well as an operation for packaging marijuana that was produced, according to the sheriff's department. The old home and building contained separate areas for growing marijuana indoors, drying marijuana and packaging marijuana for distribution.

John Tindall was released from the Lexington County Detention Center on Sunday after he posted bail totaling $60,000. Brenda Tindall was released from the detention center on Saturday after she posted bail totaling $60,000.

Anyone with information about illegal drug activity in Lexington County to 
call the Lexington County Sheriff’s Department at 803-785-8230 or CrimeStoppers at 1-888-CRIME-SC.