Katy woman accused of sending marijuana to jail inmates

  HOUSTON (KTRK) -- A Katy woman is accused of sending marijuana to jail inmates, hidden inside letters.

Back in June, a detention officer at the Harris County Jail noticed bulges in handwritten letters to a couple of inmates. The handwriting on the letters appeared to be similar, even though they were sent from different names

According to court documents, at least one letter was found to have marijuana in it, and fingerprints from the letter reportedly matched Rachel Elizabeth Hankins.

Hankins, 20, is charged with a felony -- prohibited substance in correctional facility.

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Authorities raid suspected marijuana grow house on Houston's East End

  HOUSTON (KTRK) -- Police say there was a massive marijuana raid at a warehouse on Houston's East End overnight.

After getting a search warrant for a warehouse off Lamar near Palmer, officers entered and arrested one person who was inside. They also found what they're calling a large amount of marijuana worth millions of dollars.

Authorities say the building was being used as a grow house. At least 100 plants were reportedly found inside, as well as marijuana packages ready for distribution.

"They used different methods of growing -- water, different types of lighting, fans and AC systems," said Lt. Julio Banda with the Harris County Precinct 6 Constable's Office

Authorities say they were alerted to the grow house when a Precinct 6 deputy was investigating an abandoned vehicle near the warehouse. That is when he detected a strange smell coming from the building.

Just last month, two dozen people were arrested in connection with what authorities called the biggest 'pot growing' operation ever in Houston. Police and DEA agents raided 60 homes in Harris, Montgomery and Fort Bend Counties on August 21. Forty-one of those homes were found to be part of a sophisticated marijuana operation. Investigators say the suspects used rental homes in upscale neighborhoods and neighbors never suspected what was going on.

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6 guilty in TX over marijuana in melon loads

  HOUSTON -- Prosecutors in Houston say six men have pleaded guilty to smuggling more than a ton and a-half of marijuana in loads of watermelons.

Investigators say the marijuana, in loads transported since June, was hidden in pallets of watermelons being trucked from McAllen to a warehouse in Houston.

U.S. Attorney Kenneth Magidson says two men pleaded guilty Wednesday to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute marijuana. Four others pleaded guilty Friday. The men are from Houston, Roma and Rio Grande City.

All will be sentenced in March. They face up to life in prison and maximum $8 million fines.

Officers confiscated bales of marijuana with a total weight of 3,158 pounds.

(Copyright ©2011 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
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