Something In The Air

What’s been described as the most sophisticated marijuana greenhouse in Europe has been closed down by the Guardia Civil in Murcia, with seven Dutch people and Icelandic national being arrested. The premises were located at Molina de Segura, with six thousand plants discovered growing in the warehouse, with the plants and associated paraphernalia said to be worth around one million euros. The Guardia said that the gang had advanced plans to open up a second greenhouse in the Crevillente area.

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Such was the size of the operation at Molina (10 tons of marijuana every month was taken by road to Holland), that power cuts made the authorities suspicious of what might be going on. The sheer amount of illegal electricity needed to power up the extensive lights and heating system led to a cable overloading and catching fire on an industrial estate where the drug greenhouse was located.

As the gang dispersed, the Guardia swept them up at various locations, as they kept a track of their movements. A Dutch couple who ran the operation were picked up in Rojales, whilst a man was arrested at Alicante-Elche airport as he was planning to board a flight to Iceland. Two others were detained as they tried to flee the country by car. Besides legal action over public health and trafficking issues, prosecutors have also pledged to recover the costs of the illegal electricity, and have just started an action against a marijuana plantation in Novelda that syphoned off nearly 13 thousand euros of unpaid for power from Iberdrola over a number of years