We have all heard of the 'bat cave'. The cave used by Batman and Robin the popular TV series that has also been made into numerous movies. The cave is usually filled with computer equipment, Batman's costume, and of course a great place to stash the bat mobile. All concealed behind a secret door in the house of Bruce Wayne. Law enforcement officials in middle Tennessee made a discovery that would make even Batman's jaw drop. The cave in Trousdale county Tennessee was used to house a sophisticated underground marijuana growing facility. The stash was complete with offices, sleeping quarters, restroom, and a huge climate controlled growing area large enough for 1,000 marijuana plants. All concealed within one of Tennessee 9,000 natural caves and accessible through a hidden passageway below a beautiful vacation home. Did I mention the escape hatch down a 150 yard long corridor complete with a trap door below a hydraulic controlled boulder? The growing operation was complete with an irrigation system to water the 400 - 500 plants that were between 6 and 12 inches tall and the 400 - 500 additional plants that were as tall as 6 feet. To power the sophisticated lighting and climate control system that kept the caves temperature at 87 degrees the men had illegally spliced into county power lines. Investigators estimate that the operation could produce as much as 6 to 8 million dollars worth of marijuana per year. Three men have been arrested in connection with the growing operation. Brian Gibson and Greg Compton were arrested in Tennessee and Fred Earl Strunk, thought to be the mastermind behind the operation, was arrested at his home in Gainesville Florida on December 14, 2005. Strunk, whose real identity unknown, is said to have at least 6 identifications with various names in his home along with 50,000 in cash. Strunk was being held on a 15 million dollar bond which was reduced to 1 million dollars in January 2006 by General Sessions Judge Kenny Linville with the provision he provide a high school or college yearbook with his photo or a military id to prove is identity.
Here is the entrance to a stoner's haven. The thick metal door to the secret passageway was held in place by a hydraulic motor. Superb... The vegetative and flowering chambers each contained over 500 plants on a hydroponic irrigation system. In the picture below, you can see the clever irrigation system laid on top of each 5 gallon bucket. A few well-timed drips a day worked wonders. Plants grew faster in this controlled environment than they would have grown naturally outside. The Escape Route Growing marijuana is obviously a risky business, that's the reason why the growers made an escape route which is 150 yards long from the cave to the surface. A 150-yard tunnel leads to a concealed escape hatch below a hydraulic rock! A smart operation indeed, but the cops definitely outsmarted them. The mastermind behind the operation operated out of Florida. Such operations, rather pot farms have been busted before.