Bay County sheriff's deputies have arrested 2-people as part of a marijuana sweep in the northern part of the county.

42-year old Donald Allen Nelson and 61 year old Jesse Wesley Bailey, both from Fountain, are charged with cultivation of marijuana.

These are some of the plants they say Nelson and Bailey were growing.

Sheriff's officials flew their helicopter over the Fountain area Wednesday, trying to spot pot plants from the air. They found 2-fields, with a total of about 50-mature plants. Authorities estimate the total street value to be about 50-thousand dollars.

Wednesday's busts were part of a marijuana eradication program overseen by the Drug Enforcement Administration and funded by the Florida Department of Agriculture through federal grants.

Major Tommy Ford says the Sheriff considers the program successful. "We go in areas where we have intelligence that marijuana might be growing. So, the flights are usually successful. We consider this one a success with two felony arrests."

The D-E-A gives the sheriff's office enough money to fly their helicopter for 12-hours a year, searching for marijuana. They used 6-Wednesday, but say the D-E-A can allocate more funding if necessary.