Ohio Police: Teen Ran Drug Ring That Grossed $20,000 a Month

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.

The investigation culminated in the arrest of the Mason High School teen and seven adults between ages 20 and 58.

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.

The juvenile was so savvy, if any of his employees sold on school property, they were cut off, according to authorities.

"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."