A large marijuana grow house was recently discovered at a vacant gas station in Walpole, Massachusetts, according to police.
A police officer said he noticed a suspicious car in the parking lot of the vacant gas station on Route 1 Monday. When the officer pulled into the parking lot, he found John Diarbakerly unloading boxes.
Diarbakerly allegedly ran inside the building and locked the door, police said. Authorities said Diarbakerly eventually came outside but that's when the officer smelled the aroma of marijuana.
After executing a search warrant, police discovered nearly 60 marijuana plants inside the building. That building, police say, is owned by Diarbakerly.
Walpole Police Chief John Carmichael Jr. said that state law only allows people to grow six plants — and only in their own home.
“There's possession amount limits, cultivation amount limits and there's other laws built into what we're supposed to be doing," Carmichael said. "Public use, open container and driving under the influence. All of those laws are still in place."
Diarbakerly was arrested for exceeding the limits of cultivation and intent to distribute. He was arraigned on the charges Tuesday in Wrentham District Court.
