2014

ANNUAL
REPORT
FLORIDAS
DOMESTIC
MARIJUANA
ERADICATION
PROGRAM

A partnership coordinated by the

Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), and the
Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services
Office of Agricultural Law Enforcement (OALE)
Submitted by:
Office of Agricultural Law Enforcement
March 2015

2014 ANNUAL REPORT

INTRODUCTION

PROGRAM OVERVIEW

Floridas warm climate and wide-ranging rural woodlands

provide a fertile environment for criminals to cultivate cannabis
plants (marijuana). The eradication of cannabis plants at the
source immediately strikes a blow against drug dealing and
abuse by reducing the availability of marijuana on the street.
Eradicating marijuana before it can be cultivated also increases
citizen and officer safety and reduces overall investigative
costs.

The DME is a voluntary program offered to local agencies

through OALE. Each year, DEA allocates funds to OALE
which are then dispersed to local law enforcement agencies
for training and reimbursement to offset spending for indoor
and outdoor grow investigations. For 2014, OALE received
$500,000 for the program.
This 2014 Annual Report reflects statistical information
provided by 64 law enforcement agencies in 49 Florida
counties, including 46 sheriffs offices and 18 municipal law
enforcement agencies.

Through the coordination of the Domestic Marijuana

Eradication (DME) Program, federal, state, and local law
enforcement authorities have found a cost effective and
measurable means to prevent a sizable amount of domestically
cultivated marijuana from reaching the street. This is evidenced
in the statistical success of Floridas DME Program and its
federal counterpart, the United States Drug Enforcement
Administrations (DEA) Domestic Cannabis Eradication/
Suppression Program (DCE/SP). For over thirty years, the
combination of these two programs and the support they
have received from federal, state, and local law enforcement
authorities has resulted in the detection of approximately
34,056 illegal grow sites; eradication of over $2.7 million
marijuana plants valued at over $3 billion; and, the arrest of
over 17,930 cultivators in Florida (historical data provided on
page 4).

Program funds were directly provided to 60 law enforcement

agencies to help offset their investigation costs. The amount
disbursed, $382,447, resulted in 91% of the total requests for
reimbursements being funded.
Floridas DME Program funds are also utilized to provide indepth training to law enforcement officers at no cost to their
agency. In support of this effort, OALE sponsored two
Indoor Cannabis Investigations Schools and one joint Outdoor
Cannabis Investigations/Aerial Detection School for law
enforcement officers in 2014. The schools were attended
by 155 law enforcement officers from 77 law enforcement
agencies, including 38 sheriffs offices, 36 police departments,
2 state agencies, and 1 federal agency. OALE expended
$127,856 (26% of total DME funds) in training-related
expenses for law enforcement officers during 2014.

Since its inception in 1981, the Florida DME Program has set
national standards and served as a role model for other states.
In addition to being known for its progressive program,
Floridas DME Program is also noted for its specialized law
enforcement training in the areas of aerial detection and indoor
grow investigations.
The Florida DME Programs success is due to its ability to
support law enforcement efforts and adapt to the changing
culture of the illicit cultivator. The initial Florida DME Program
focused primarily on the outdoor cultivation of marijuana.
However, due to the success of aerial detection programs and
with the increase in Floridas urbanization, the illicit cultivator
has expanded indoors. For this reason, the Florida DME
Program now supports law enforcement efforts to eradicate
both indoor and outdoor marijuana grow sites. In calendar
year 2014, the program was managed and administered by
the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services,
Office of Agricultural Law Enforcement (OALE).
In 2008, recognizing the issues Florida law enforcement faced
in the fight against indoor grow houses, the Florida Legislature
passed a law reducing the number of plants needed to be
grown in order to be charged with trafficking, and strengthened
the penalties for certain circumstances. This law went into
effect July 1, 2008, and appeared to be effective as eradication
statistics reported were continuing to show a reduction from
previous annual eradication totals.

2014 ANNUAL REPORT

2014 GROW ACTIVITIES

PROGRAM
CONTACTS

In 2014, the reported seizures of marijuana from indoor

grow sites continued to outpace seizures from outdoor grow
sites. Indoor and outdoor cultivators continue to develop
innovative techniques and schemes to avoid detection by law
enforcement.

OFFICE OF AGRICULTURAL LAW

ENFORCEMENT COORDINATOR
MAJOR DANIEL WILLIAMSON
2005 APALACHEE PARKWAY, SUITE B
TALLAHASSEE, FL 32399
PHONE: (850) 245-1300
EMAIL: DANIEL.WILLIAMSON@FRESHFROMFLORIDA.COM

Despite these evasion efforts, county and local law

enforcement agencies in 49 of Floridas 67 counties reported
the detection and dismantling of 582 indoor and outdoor grow
sites, resulting in the eradication of 31,517 marijuana plants,
519 arrests, and the forfeiture of $245,998 in assets.

FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION,

CONTACT:

As in 2013, Miami-Dade Police Department continued to lead

the state with indoor grow sites (124) and indoor grow plants
(5,631). Holmes County Sheriffs Office led the state with
outdoor grow sites (59) and outdoor grow plants (7,704).

SUMMER WILLIAMS
PHONE: (850) 245-1324
TOLL-FREE: (800) 342-5869
EMAIL: SUMMER.WILLIAMS@FRESHFROMFLORIDA.COM

DRUG ENFORCEMENT
ADMINISTRATION (DEA)
SPECIAL AGENT MATTHEW VICKERS
TALLAHASSEE RESIDENT OFFICE
1510 COMMONWEALTH BUSINESS DRIVE
TALLAHASSEE, FL 32303
PHONE: (850) 350-7309

2014 ANNUAL REPORT

HISTORICAL DATA
YEAR

GROW SITES

PLANTS
ERADICATED

ARRESTS

ESTIMATED
VALUE

1981

No Record

48,206

61

$18.0 Million

1982

341

43,500

149

$16.3 Million

1983

903

139,707

286

$52.3 Million

1984

769

106,645

426

$40.0 Million

1985

1,272

104,281

329

$39.0 Million

1986

1,332

97,408

333

$36.5 Million

1987

1,498

96,842

335

$36.3 Million

1988

1,568

134,794

358

$50.4 Million

1989

1,153

79,176

259

$79.1 Million

1990

1,148

92,901

330

$92.9 Million

1991

1,801

105,066

690

$105.1 Million

1992

1,893

243,452

784

$243.4 Million

1993

2,033

145,384

696

$145.3 Million

1994

1,406

99,862

501

$99.8 Million

1995

1,260

102,075

437

$102.0 Million

1996

1,059

96,661

362

$96.6 Million

1997

1,144

108,178

477

$108.1 Million

1998

604

55,311

404

$55.3 Million

1999

573

56,838

466

$56.8 Million

2000

611

32,219

408

$32.2 Million

2001

551

28,206

325

$28.2 Million

2002

550

37,897

347

$37.8 Million

2003

622

39,427

409

$39.4 Million

2004

488

28,006

334

$28.4 Million

2005

668

74,863

498

$74.8 Million

2006

819

47,665

639

* $138.6 Million

2007

1,207

83,814

1,078

* $268.5 Million

2008

1,321

94,700

1,223

* $287.2 Million

2009

1,158

65,488

1,086

* $200.9 Million

2010

1,139

51,366

1,047

* $160.8 Million

2011

961

46,605

846

* $138.6 Million

2012

772

37,388

723

* $114.7 Million

2013

850

47,028

764

* $120.8 Million

2014

582

31,517

519

* $95.5 Million

GRAND
TOTAL

34,056

2,702,476

17,929

$3.2 Billion

*Figures compiled using a base of $3,500 average per pound for domestic indoor grown marijuana;
$775 average per pound for outdoor grown marijuana, based on average wholesale amounts
published in the United States Department Of Justice National Illicit Drug Prices Bulletin - June 2008.

2014 ANNUAL REPORT

2014 STATISTICS BY COUNTY

INDOOR GROWS

OUTDOOR GROWS

COUNTY

SITES

PLANTS

ARRESTS

FIREARMS
SEIZED

SITES

PLANTS

ARRESTS

FIREARMS
SEIZED

ALACHUA

415

228

BAKER

BAY

BRADFORD

BREVARD

269

23

BROWARD

11

1,047

CALHOUN

14

CHARLOTTE

CITRUS

557

66

CLAY

81

95

COLLIER

29

86

COLUMBIA

108

268

11

DESOTO

22

DIXIE

DUVAL

15

490

12

12

ESCAMBIA

27

63

FLAGLER

FRANKLIN

GADSDEN

16

GILCHRIST

20

GLADES

GULF

HAMILTON

HARDEE

HENDRY

113

HERNANDO

611

12

161

HIGHLANDS

145

HILLSBOROUGH

29

1,368

37

14

HOLMES

59

7,704

INDIAN RIVER

JACKSON

52

JEFFERSON

LAFAYETTE

LAKE

80

11

0
(Continued Page 6)

2014 ANNUAL REPORT

2014 STATISTICS BY COUNTY

(Continued)

INDOOR GROWS

OUTDOOR GROWS

COUNTY

SITES

PLANTS

ARRESTS

FIREARMS
SEIZED

SITES

PLANTS

ARRESTS

FIREARMS
SEIZED

LEE

12

1,178

16

LEON

10

360

LEVY

LIBERTY

MADISON

MANATEE

293

MARION

792

60

MARTIN

80

MIAMI-DADE

124

5,631

171

30

357

MONROE

NASSAU

52

15

OKALOOSA

20

14

OKEECHOBEE

122

ORANGE

1,119

11

OSCEOLA

228

39

PALM BEACH

15

1,185

12

PASCO

24

2,025

25

30

PINELLAS

381

10

13

176

POLK

135

PUTNAM

27

10

188

SANTA ROSA

171

10

113

SARASOTA

11

332

14

SEMINOLE

232

47

ST. JOHNS

63

ST. LUCIE

21

SUMTER

15

SUWANNEE

38

TAYLOR

UNION

VOLUSIA

18

985

17

WAKULLA

123

WALTON

64

421

WASHINGTON

30

134

TOTAL

384

20,987

447

123

198

10,530

72

26

2014 ANNUAL REPORT

2014 REIMBURSEMENT STATISTICS

AGENCY

COUNTY

REQUESTED

REIMBURSED

Alachua CSO

Alachua

$4,000.00

$4,000.00

100%

Bay CSO***

Bay

$24,050.00

$24,050.00

100%

Bradford CSO

Bradford

$250.00

$250.00

100%

Brevard CSO

Brevard

$2,000.00

$1,250.00

63%

Broward CSO

Broward

$3,750.00

$3,750.00

100%

Calhoun CSO**

Calhoun

$2,750.00

$2,750.00

100%

Cape Coral PD

Lee

$3,000.00

$3,000.00

100%

Citrus CSO

Citrus

$3,750.00

$3,750.00

100%

Clay CSO

Clay

$1,500.00

$1,500.00

100%

Collier CSO

Collier

$2,000.00

$2,000.00

100%

Columbia CSO

Columbia

$4,000.00

$4,000.00

100%

Daytona Beach PD

Volusia

$250.00

$250.00

100%

Desoto CSO**

Desoto

$1,500.00

$1,500.00

100%

Escambia CSO

Escambia

$1,750.00

$1,750.00

100%

Gadsden CSO

Gadsden

$250.00

$250.00

100%

Gilchrist CSO

Gilchrist

$750.00

$750.00

100%

Hendry CSO

Hendry

$1,000.00

$1,000.00

100%

Hernando CSO

Hernando

$5,500.00

$5,000.00

91%

Hialeah PD

Miami-Dade

$1,050.00

$250.00

24%

Highlands CSO

Highlands

$1,812.22

$1,250.00

69%

Hillsborough CSO

Hillsborough

$11,250.00

$11,000.00

98%

Holmes CSO***

Holmes

$35,000.00

$35,000.00

100%

Jackson CSO**

Jackson

$8,000.00

$8,000.00

100%

Jacksonville SO

Duval

$5,000.00

$4,250.00

85%

Lake CSO

Lake

$1,750.00

$1,500.00

86%

Lakeland PD

Polk

$3,734.57

$750.00

20%

Largo PD

Pinellas

$250.00

$250.00

100%

Lee CSO

Lee

$3,230.00

$3,000.00

93%

Leon CSO

Leon

$1,250.00

$1,250.00

100%

Manatee CSO

Manatee

$1,500.00

$1,500.00

100%

Marion CSO**

Marion

$3,238.00

$3,000.00

93%

Martin CSO

Martin

$1,750.00

$1,750.00

100%

Miami-Dade PD

Miami-Dade

$59,890.00

$133,305.00

100%

Nassau CSO

Nassau

$3,250.00

$3,250.00

100%
(Continued Page 8)

2014 ANNUAL REPORT

2014 REIMBURSEMENT STATISTICS

(Continued)

AGENCY

COUNTY

REQUESTED

REIMBURSED

North Port PD

Sarasota

$4,000.00

$4,000.00

100%

Okaloosa CSO

Okaloosa

$1,250.00

$1,000.00

80%

Okeechobee CSO

Okeechobee

$2,500.00

$2,250.00

90%

Orange CSO

Orange

$4,500.00

$4,500.00

100%

Osceola CSO**

Osceola

$2,750.00

$2,750.00

100%

Oviedo PD

Seminole

$250.00

$250.00

100%

Palm Beach CSO

Palm Beach

$7,000.00

$7,000.00

100%

Pasco CSO

Pasco

$12,000.00

$11,000.00

92%

Pembroke Pines PD

Broward

$1,500.00

$1,500.00

100%

Pinellas CSO

Pinellas

$5,000.00

$3,750.00

75%

Pinellas Park PD

Pinellas

$750.00

$750.00

100%

Polk CSO

Polk

$500.00

$0.00

0%

Port Orange PD

Volusia

$750.00

$750.00

100%

Port St. Lucie PD

St. Lucie

$250.00

$250.00

100%

Putnam CSO

Putnam

$3,250.00

$3,250.00

100%

Santa Rosa CSO

Santa Rosa

$3,750.00

$3,500.00

93%

Seminole CSO

Seminole

$2,000.00

$2,000.00

100%

St. Cloud PD

Osceola

$250.00

$250.00

100%

St. Johns CSO

St. Johns

$2,779.09

$2,779.09

100%

St. Petersburg PD

Pinellas

$834.92

$834.92

100%

Sumter CSO

Sumter

$250.00

$250.00

100%

Suwannee CSO

Suwannee

$500.00

$500.00

100%

Tallahassee PD

Leon

$2,000.00

$750.00

38%

Volusia CSO

Volusia

$7,797.15

$9,102.68

100%

Wakulla CSO

Wakulla

$1,250.00

$0.00

0%

Walton CSO

Walton

$2,750.00

$2,750.00

100%

Washington CSO**

Washington

$5,500.00

$5,500.00

100%

Winter Springs PD

Seminole

$750.00

$750.00

100%

FDACS-FFS***

$40,374.88

$40,374.88

100%

TOTALS:

$321,040.83

$382,446.57

** Portions of reimbursements made to these counties were for outdoor aerial investigations.
*** These agencies were reimbursed for aerial support during the Outdoor Cannabis Investigations School.

2014 ANNUAL REPORT

CONCLUDING REMARKS

DOMESTIC MARIJUANA
ERADICATION PROGRAM

Floridas 2014 Domestic Marijuana Eradication Program

concluded with impressive statistics in all categories as
reported to the DEA.

Information can be found at the following web address:

http://www.FreshFromFlorida.com/Divisions-Offices/
Agricultural-Law-Enforcement/Business-Services/MarijuanaEradication

An evaluation of the training programs offered by the DME

Program continues to indicate that training in aerial detection
methods and indoor grow investigations must continue in order
to keep pace with illicit marijuana cultivation activity in the
state.
With the coordinated efforts of Floridas law enforcement
communities, the mission to suppress this internal drug
problem was a success in 2014. With Floridas continued
commitment by local, state, and federal law enforcement,
2015 will prove to have a substantial impact on domestically
cultivated marijuana.

THE 2014 DOMESTIC MARIJUANA

ERADICATION PROGRAM ANNUAL
REPORT IS PRODUCED BY:
OFFICE OF AGRICULTURAL LAW ENFORCEMENT
COLONEL JERRY BRYAN, DIRECTOR
2005 APALACHEE PARKWAY
SUITE B, TERRY L. RHODES BUILDING
TALLAHASSEE, FL 32301
TELEPHONE: (850) 245-1300
TOLL FREE: 1-800-342-5869
FDACS-P-02032