Several people got caught last week growing more than just peas and cucumbers in their gardens.

More than 12,000 marijuana plants were taken and destroyed during a three-day sting by the Chilton County Sheriff’s Office and other agencies.

“That’s dope off the streets of Chilton County,” said Sheriff Kevin Davis. “This wasn’t going through on the Interstate toward Atlanta. It’s grown here and would have probably been distributed here.”

Alabama National Guard helicopters were brought in to look for plants – which were found all over the county.

“We found it from one end of the county to the other,” said Davis.

Tips from the public also helped pinpoint locations for officers to look.

Several arrests were made in the sting, and Davis anticipates more in the coming days.

The operation started Wednesday, July 8 and ended Friday, July 10. The 12,607 marijuana plants were burned.

“We are happy with the success of this team effort,” said Davis.

Participating agencies include the Chilton County Sheriff’s Office, the Alabama Department of Public Safety, the Alabama Bureau of Investigation, the Drug Enforcement Administration and the U.S. Forestry Service.

Anyone with information about drug activity in Chilton County is asked to call the sheriff’s office Secret Witness Line at 755-7898.