New Hanover deputies bust marijuana grow house

WILMINGTON, NC (WWAY) — A New Hanover County man is in jail accused of running an indoor marijuana grow operation. Harold Monroe Becker Jr., 56, faces multiple felony drug charges.

Vice and Narcotics detectives executed a search warrant at a home at 107 Hawthorne Dr., where they say they found two separate indoor grow operations. Investigators say the first was in a back room. The second was in a storage building located at the rear of the property.

Detectives say they seized more than 150 marijuana plants during the operation with a potential value of more than $200,000. They also found harvested marijuana and packaging material.

Investigators say the grow house included extensive ventilation and artificial lighting equipment.

Becker is in the New Hanover County Detention Facility under a $50,000 secure bond. He’s charged with two counts of trafficking in marijuana, one count of possession with intent to sell/distribute marijuana, one count maintaining a vehicle/dwelling for drugs, two counts possess of marijuana and one count of manufacturing marijuana.