Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...

COLERAIN – An illegal marijuana growing operation was shut down early Wednesday morning by the Bertie County Sheriff’s Office.

Bertie Sheriff Tyrone Ruffin said that Sergeant K. Padgette and Sergeant D. Young arrived shortly before 5 a.m. at the residence of Demetrius E. Worlds on Exter Road near Colerain. They were there to arrest him for violating a domestic violence protection order.

During the contact with Worlds, the deputies saw what appeared to be a marijuana growing operation. That prompted the deputies to obtain a search warrant and executed it, locating several plants of marijuana being grown inside of the residence.

Worlds, age 35, was charged with manufacturing marijuana, maintaining a dwelling or place for controlled substances, possessing of drug paraphernalia, animal cruelty, and the domestic violence protection order violation.

Padgette and Young were assisted by the BCSO Investigations Division, BCSO Patrol Division, and the Down East Drug Task Force.