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Police: Smell of pot sparks 12-hour SWAT standoff in gated Harris County community

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by Kevin Peters / 11 News

Posted on November 5, 2009 at 12:59 PM

Updated Thursday, Nov 5 at 1:52 PM

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HOUSTON—A 12-hour standoff ended Thursday morning after police fired tear gas into a northwest Harris County home.

It all happened in a gated community in the 16000 block of Stoneside Drive. Police said they got a tip Wednesday night about the smell of marijuana coming from a home. When they arrived, investigators said a deputy confirmed the tip and knocked on the front door. The man inside did not answer.

Police then called a K-9 unit to the house. Investigators said the dog made two separate hits at the front door and the garage for drugs. Again, police said they got no response from the man inside.

Investigators secured a search warrant, and the HPD SWAT team was also called in to assist. The tactical team arrived around 2 a.m. Officers tried to contact the man over a loudspeaker and through a cell phone, but got no response after trying for two hours.

That’s when the officers fired the tear gas and the suspect came out.

He was taken into custody without any further incident. Investigators said they found some drugs in the home, and they were still in the process of trying to determine how much.

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hardworkingwoman said on November 5, 2009 at 1:04 PM

WOW

hardworkingwoman said on November 5, 2009 at 1:13 PM

WOW

loudoggx said on November 5, 2009 at 1:22 PM

Dude was just gettin his stoney on.... neighbors and lil piggies shouldn't be hatin.

lacylaplant said on November 5, 2009 at 1:32 PM

This is a victimless crime, and that poor dude wasn't bothering anyone, was just minding his own biz and the cops decide to tear gas him... over some marijuana... HOUSTON get your priorities straight! This is just a ridiculous waste of time, money and manpower. Come ON! UGH!

rick09 said on November 5, 2009 at 1:46 PM

Good Job HPD.

stjakk said on November 5, 2009 at 1:48 PM

Marijuana was first federally prohibited to help slow the flow of illegal foreign nationals from Mexicoin 1938!!!!...but now...our derelict government rewards the foreign invader with legal protection,our jobs and free government handouts that we don't qualify for while spending over $600.00 EVERY second to arrest and prosecute AMERICAN citizens who enjoy small amounts of marijuana.....ridiculous!!!!!!!!!!!!

lbrando said on November 5, 2009 at 2:14 PM

All of this over a pot smoker !!! They need to be sniffing for the meth labs instead, they can blow up a neighborhood !!! They brought out the SWAT team for some pot .... amazing !!!

ohmygosh said on November 5, 2009 at 2:28 PM

He might have been a supplier too. Probably more to this story.

jlockett said on November 5, 2009 at 2:30 PM

I can see this in two different ways. One way the poor guy is sitting in his garage smoking a bong and filling the garage with smoke. Neighbor smells it and thinks that there is something major going on. Then they call police, upto this point I can see how this could happen. WHY? Is the swat being called out? This guy if all he had was say enough for 2 or 3 joints this was overkill. This is where I can see version two. The reporter said that the police found out that the person in the home was known for weapons and I am sure by what they are saying he probably had a list of stuff on him. So I can see the escalation to the level that it went. As far as they knew he was a major drug house/depot. If the police find large quantities of drugs in that house then ok I fill that they did right. However, again I say if the poor soul was just smoking a j in his own home and not hurting anyone and only had a small amount then what the he.. .

daisymay said on November 5, 2009 at 2:36 PM

What a waste of time, effort and payroll all over the poor guy smoking some weed in his own home. Minding his own business, not hurting anyone. Wonder how much this WASTE of time cost the city of Houston? Ridiculous is right.

daisymay said on November 5, 2009 at 2:40 PM

BTW, this took 12 HOURS?? And they still found pot? LOL He could have done a hell of a lot of flushing during that time. My guess is they found a roach, and they're trying to save face with the city trying to explain why they wasted all that money for a some guy smoking some lousy joint. Big whooping deal!

lbrando said on November 5, 2009 at 3:16 PM

That's funny Daisy, that is alot of time, he could have smoked the evidence away, what a doofus ... LOL !!!

sqmama said on November 5, 2009 at 3:41 PM

This was down the street from me and there were garbage bags full of weed. There was a elaborate grow operation and not a nosey neighbor bothering a person relaxing with a joint. The police did a great job. Great combined effort from law enforcement.

iamjustsayin said on November 5, 2009 at 4:27 PM

Welcome to the new khou.com! We hope you like it. If not, please tell us why in the comment section below. then they turned off the comments.... go figure

2papi said on November 5, 2009 at 4:51 PM

Wonder if they checked his Immigration status?

daisymay said on November 5, 2009 at 4:55 PM

just saying... They want comments to be emailed to: web@khou.com. They are working on it, and appreciate constructive criticisms. ;)

stjakk said on November 5, 2009 at 5:21 PM

Why is it that our laws are so skewed as to allow major pharm. corporations to sell synthetic heroin but independent entreprenuers who cultivate a purely natural product are criminals? The marijuana black market creates BILLIONS of $$$s annually....why isn't this money in the FREE market where it can taxed and the product regulated......?????...For those who might think that legalizing pot would make it more available to our kids..let me ask you....when was the last time you saw a dealer check a customer's I.D. for his age and when was the last time you saw a clerck at the Stop & Go check a young person's I.D. to purchase beer,wine or cigs?????? If pot were legal the only thing it would disrupt are the MEGAprofits that the Pherm corps. are making and the quarterly dividends paid to share holders in privately owned prisoner confinement facilities.

justcurious said on November 5, 2009 at 5:46 PM

This is another big haha for the police. They used all of the governments resources for this horse s...t. Marijuana is legal in 14 states and these buffoon rednecks ruined this guy's day for nothing. This more of the same...

justcurious said on November 5, 2009 at 5:48 PM

this site sucks now

joseatriveroaks said on November 5, 2009 at 5:48 PM

thats good, good job officers and swat team, we got 1 crack head down, drugs causes to much drama and finishes with lives of people and kids.....

lacylaplant said on November 5, 2009 at 5:52 PM

The sad thing is, that it is decriminalized in some states and not in others. This would have never been an issue in Colorado, New Mexico, California, Washington, Oregon, Massachusetts... you get the point. The fact that we are so behind the times with legalization is a travesty.

bigdee said on November 5, 2009 at 6:02 PM

this really blows. a man can't even relax in his own home. i'm glad i don't have neighbors like him.

dubie said on November 5, 2009 at 6:45 PM

Dont bogart that joint,My freind pass it over to me

bearfoot said on November 5, 2009 at 6:46 PM

All this for a little pot smoke? Have we gone crazy? How absurd is this? Why don't you stake out a few night clubs where you know people are going to leave and drive drunk?

dubie said on November 5, 2009 at 7:08 PM

Dont bogart that joint my freind,pass it over to me i need a joint to be on this web site ,this sucks,fire it up

houston_security said on November 5, 2009 at 9:56 PM

what a waste of resources the name say it all --- stone side dr.-- and the coppers just now figured it out

texmwk said on November 5, 2009 at 10:37 PM

"They got a tip Wednesday night about the smell of marijuana coming from a home" Wow did not know HYDRO had that strong of a smell. I mean you would have to be burning a pound with a fan behind it to get that kind of smell to a tipster;. Where was he/she when they smelled it. .P>S this new web site sucksssss

skyflyer8 said on November 6, 2009 at 5:01 AM

What a waste of limited government resources.

kathylue said on November 6, 2009 at 5:50 AM

I HATE the cops who did this! The man was in the privacy of his own home! Maybe he should have smoked where others could not smell it,but that is wrong. I hope he sues the officers who wasted tax payer money on swat team for such a petty complaint!

1usa1 said on November 6, 2009 at 10:24 AM

Must;ve been a slow day for crime. They should npot be able to come onto your property with a dog without a warrant. Also, how do we know the dog really alerted?

missprissy said on November 6, 2009 at 11:32 AM

IMO this guy was in his house smoking. He was not selling, did not have cars lined up down the street. So what was the big deal that took 12 hours to conclude? .........and I too agree that this was a waste of taxpayer money.

bigdee said on November 6, 2009 at 1:29 PM

i bet it cost the taxpayers more money than what was found in the home. always looking to do something big for something so small, and look like idiots.

1usa1 said on November 6, 2009 at 2:00 PM

"Still in the process of determining how much". Yeah, right I bet they didn't find anything but don't want to show how foolish they acted.

jlockett said on November 6, 2009 at 2:22 PM

AFTER ALL THIS TIME STILL NO UPDATE YOU WOULD THINK SOMEONE WOULD UPDATE THIS STORY. HEY GUYS LET US KNOW WHAT IS GOING ON. JUST THINK ABOUT IT LIKE THIS. IT IS STARTING TO SOUND LIKE A COVER UP. WITHOUT ANY UPDATES

ilmpb said on November 6, 2009 at 2:37 PM

stjakk - I totally agree. Yawn KHOU, find some real news. This new format sucks.

mabusincarnate said on November 6, 2009 at 2:38 PM

i want the ability to give thumbs up to stjakk like i could in the past. it would be nice to be able to reply directly to a comment. way to take a step backward, khou. maybe it's time to fire your system designers.

rukidden said on November 6, 2009 at 3:00 PM

THIS WAS NOT THAT NEWSWORTHY OR INTERESTING 2 DAYS AGO NEVER THE LESS NOW.

texan2112 said on November 6, 2009 at 8:57 PM

2 days and still have'nt heard a word about this on the news. Poor guy was probably just smoking a doobie in his own house, not hurting anyone. Or am I mistaken??? And why the heck do I have to type those stupid fuzzy words every time I want to comment????