Undercover agents in Catawba County have just arrested a man in Claramont, NC for growing Poppy plants, which are used to make opium (which is then refined to make harder drugs such as heroin).
Cody Xiong was arrested on his large scale poppy plantation. He was then taken to the Catawba County Sheriff’s office where he was charged with manufacture and trafficking by possession, WBTV reports.
Around 10 deputies and SBI agents put on protective clothing and spent most of the day pulling hundreds of poppy plants from the ground near the Claremont home.
Dave Faherty with WSOC was on site to take pictures – deputies told him that the plants are expected to be worth around $500 million.
Breaking Catawba- undercover officers executing search warrant at large poppy grow near Claremont. pic.twitter.com/UGZAjZvExy
— Dave Faherty (@FahertyWSOC9) May 23, 2017
Just spoke with sheriff..he estimates a half billion dollars of plants now. pic.twitter.com/ZSPFq8xzfF
— Dave Faherty (@FahertyWSOC9) May 23, 2017