PORTLAND, Maine (WGME) — For the 18th time this year, the Somerset County Sheriff’s Office took down another illegal marijuana grow house.

No one was home and no arrests were made when they served the drug search warrant Thursday morning.

They uncovered 200 marijuana plants, evidence of 1,500 harvested plants and 30 pounds of processed marijuana at a home in St. Albans, near a daycare.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrew Lizotte has started forfeiture proceedings on four properties where illegal marijuana grow houses were uncovered by law officers.

He says he credits county and police investigators for busting more than 40 illegal grow houses this year.

"Based on the investigation, it does not appear that it's staying in the state of Maine,” Lizotte said. “More likely going to Massachusetts and New York and elsewhere."

The U.S. Justice Department says Chinese drug cartels may be funding and making millions off this illegal marijuana.

Lizotte says most of the people arrested are not career criminals.

"The individuals involved in this phenomenon are predominantly U.S. citizens or lawfully permitted residents. Many involved in this enterprise are using their own names and using their own residential addresses outside of the state of Maine," Lizotte said. "A lot of these people have never had an arrest or a criminal record."

Many of the suspects are charged with aggravated drug trafficking for allegedly growing marijuana without a license and selling it in the United States. If convicted, they face up to 30 years in prison.

ncG1vNJzZmivp6x7uLbAnKuvZpOkunC6xLCqaKaRqbawuoywpquklGS3tr%2FTopqeZZSavaK%2B06acp6xdqK66v4ycn6Kmlaiybq%2FAq6uepKNiuqLFjJucZqWRoLavs4ymoKWkmaS7tHnOn51moZyhsqity2anqKxdnL%2Bww9JmoKdlnZa2r7GMppiroZqqrq%2BtjLCcnpxdqLyusdGsnK1lk6TCr8DYZqmuqpGh