The Buffalo County Sheriff's Department has not assigned a full-time investigator to probe a large-scale marijuana growing operation busted last month, saying it doesn't have the resources. 

Police netted three pounds of marijuana but might have just missed one of the largest busts in Buffalo County history when they raided

the operation Oct. 29 deep in the swamps of the Tiffany Wildlife Area near Nelson, Wis. Most of the 2,000 marijuana plants had already been harvested.

Sheriff Michael Schmidt-knecht described the investigation as not being a "fast case" to solve. The Wisconsin Department of Criminal Investigation is assisting, the sheriff said.

The department has sought information from the public, but hasn't received any tips, Schmidtknecht said.

The sheriff suspects two to five people ran the complex operation, where growers planted, fertilized, tended and harvested plants spread over a quarter-mile of public land. Processed pot plants were recovered from the grow site, along with bags of personal items, growing equipment and harvest tools left behind at a camouflaged camp site.

Schmidtknecht said the operation resembled another found in Shawano County, Wis., in early fall.

Initial estimates valued the pot farm at between $2 million and $8 million, but investigators now say the site was worth about $800,000.

Any person with information may call the sheriff's office at (608) 685-2847.