BY CATHERINE TSAI
The Cincinnati Enquirer
COVINGTON -- Police stepped through a hidden door to a secret garden Thursday.
Four members of the department went to the 700 block of East 16th Street on Thursday morning to help the U.S. marshall's office find a fugitive wanted for a parole violation.
They didn't find the fugitive, but they did find more than 130 potted plants of marijuana in a room hidden behind a bookcase.
"That's the largest amount I've confiscated, and I've been here about 29 years," said Capt. Tom Schonecker, head of the crime suppression unit.
At 11:30 a.m., police entered the residence looking for the fugitive, whose name is being withheld because he is at large and may still be in the area.
During the search, officers noticed fertilizer, a strong odor of pot and power cords leading to a bookcase.
When they looked behind the bookcase, they saw a closed door, but the officers were denied access to the room by those in the house.
So the officers returned later with a search warrant for the room and found a marijuana laboratory with lights, fans, air conditioners and written logs of when plants had been ordered and planted.
"I was amazed at how elaborate it really was and how much time went into it," Capt. Schonecker said.
John Delong and Bret Handahl, both in their 20s, were arrested for cultivating and trafficking in drugs.
Capt. Schonecker said the neighborhood is not known for having drug problems.
"It's real quiet," he said.
