Police recently confiscated a large amount of marijuana from what they believe to be an illegal growing operation on Maury Island. A man at the home, however, claimed he is authorized to grow medical marijuana, and detectives are now investigating the case.

On Oct. 10, sheriff’s deputies investigating a tip found more than 30 marijuana plants at a home on a dead-end road near Point Robinson, said Sgt. Cindi West, a spokeswoman for the King County Sheriff’s Office.

The growing operation, in the garage of the home, included fans, ducts, grow lights and humidifiers, West said. Deputies also found a large drying rack with two rows of drying marijuana and about six nine-foot marijuana plants growing in the backyard.

A 55-year-old woman who answered the door at the home gave deputies permission to search the garage after they came to the home and were “overwhelmed with the odor of fresh marijuana” coming from the garage, West said.

Shortly after, a 59-year-old man arrived and said the he was growing the plants as medical marijuana. The man, however, was unable to produce a medical marijuana card or other documentation, and police confiscated the marijuana.

West said neither the man nor woman were arrested. (The Beachcomber does not report names of people who have yet to be charged with a crime.) She said detectives are currently investigating and will likely forward the case to the prosecutor’s office.

“It will be up to the prosecutor if charges are filed,” she said.

According to Washington State law, an individual with a medical marijuana card can posses no more than 15 marijuana plants and 24 ounces of usable marijuana.