OSCEOLA — A marijuana grower here on Wednesday lost eight plants but gained a business card from the Lewis County sheriff.

“That’s a significant hit for Osceola,” Sheriff Michael P. Carpinelli said.

The county dispatch center on Wednesday morning received a call from a camper in the area reporting that a suspicious vehicle had been seen about 1 a.m. near a hunting camp off Jackson Road.

Sheriff Carpinelli said he responded to the call by checking on the camp because he lives only about a half-mile from the location. He discovered potted marijuana plants behind the camp building, which is some distance from the road.

No arrests were made, as nobody was around at the time, but the sheriff confiscated the plants and took them to the Public Safety Building in Lowville for disposal.

He also left his business card on one of the emptied pots with the message, “I got it. You want it? Call me,” although he does not expect a resulting phone call.

Sheriff Carpinelli said he is certain the camp owner, who lives out of the area, knew nothing about the plants. The sheriff said he suspects they belonged to a local grower or growers who knew the isolated property would not be used during the summer.

“They know it’s empty until late October,” he said.

Department officials said they believe the plants were only a few weeks away from harvesting, Sheriff Carpinelli said.

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