Maraschino cherry tycoon kills himself during raid on factory

A maraschino cherry factory in Brooklyn became a crime scene on Tuesday, after the owner killed himself as authorities raided the building and discovered an alleged marijuana growing operation.

City and state environmental regulators and prosecutors from the Brooklyn District Attorney's Office were at Dell's Maraschino Cherries, one of the largest maraschino cherry companies in the United States, to investigate a complaint of illegal chemical dumping, ABC News reports. Police say that owner Arthur Mondella was cooperating at first, but that changed once investigators reportedly found "flimsy shelving" and faintly smelled marijuana.

When one investigator said they would need to get a warrant to go behind a wall, Mondella excused himself to his private bathroom "where he apparently shot himself," the DA said in a statement. He later died in the hospital. Authorities say that 80 pounds of marijuana were discovered in three large bags and hundreds of thousands of dollars in cash was also on the property.

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