CNN confirms a 17-year-old student is allegedly at the center of a marijuana drug ring in Ohio that grossed $20,000 per month. An undercover investigation by a drug task force in Warren County unraveled a complex web of growers and sellers near Cincinnati.

 

During the investigation, authorities seized more than 600 high-grade marijuana plants from multiple hydroponic grow houses in the cities of Blue Ash, Norwood and Hamilton, CNN affiliate WLWT reported.

 

Each plant yields approximately one pound of marijuana with a street value of $5,000, authorities said. In all, investigators said, the plants are worth a street value of $3 million.

 

Authorities say the adults grew and sold the high quality marijuana to the student, who was 15 when the investigation started. The student, whose identity will not be revealed because he is a juvenile, allegedly had six employees selling marijuana outside school grounds.

 

“Clearly he’s a very intelligent individual, he was somebody who was operating really a major drug organization” at a young age, said said Prosecutor David Fornshell of Warren County. “He clearly has some intelligence, but certainly misguided.”

 

The student lives with his parents, who authorities say were not involved in the drug trafficking. He had $6,000 in his bedroom when officers arrived to serve a search warrant, authorities said.

 

“He looks like someone who would be in your church youth group,” Fornshell said. ” He looks like somebody who would be on student council, or that would be a good friend to one of your young people.”