Darlene Mayes, 73-Year-Old “Drug Kingpin,” Arrested in Oklahoma [Video]

In one of the most bizarre stories of the day, a 73-year-old grandmother has been arrested for allegedly running a major marijuana drug operation out of her northeast Oklahoma home.

According to local authorities, Darlene Mayes of Craig County, Ok. supplied 40 percent of the pot in her area, which includes Tulsa and parts of Arkansas, Kansas and Missouri.

“We feel like it was coming in from all over, and we think this is a real good arrest,” Sheriff Jimmy Scooter told kjrh.com. “We think we really put a big dent in the drug trade in Northeastern Oklahoma.”

Huffington Post writes that the silver-haired “drug kingpin” stored the marijuana in her bedroom in a vacuum-sealed bag she kept in her closet, adding that police reported her room “reeking” of the substance upon her arrest.

Besides the drugs, Mayes also had $300,000 in cash and numerous guns stashed throughout the house. Bundles of dollar bills labelled “$15,000” were found under her bed.

The Daily reports police chief Bobby Floyd said:

“I raised the mattress up and there was money. Our intel didn’t say that she had cash, just product.”

Police, who reportedly had been investigating the marijuana operation for several years, believe Darlene Mayes may have been a drug kingpin for as long as 20 years.

As the mastermind, police believe she had a network of dealers, including her son Jerry who was also arrested.

Despite the eccentricity of the case, ABC points out Mayes is not the first grandmother accused of ditching retirement for a second career in drug dealing.

In the United Kingdom in 2005, 68-year-old Patricia Tabram — dubbed the cannabis grandmother — was charged with intent to supply after authorities say they found a marijuana farm in her home, the site reports.

More on Darlene Mayes and the “Granny Kingpin” bust in the video below:

via FOX