Early last Friday morning, still in the early hours, the National Police took control of several streets in Almería. They did so simultaneously to carry out a large operation against marijuana cultivation in the neighborhoods of El Puche, La Cañada, and Loma Cabrera. Drones in the air and dozens of agents on the ground acted jointly to dismantle a network of illegal plantations. The report made this Tuesday includes the seizure of three tons of plants already prepared for cutting and packaging, four more tons of growing cuttings, 70 kilos of buds, and another 27 of hashish. Additionally, the agents seized three firearms “ready for immediate use,” according to the police force. Ten people were arrested, accused of crimes against public health, electricity fraud, belonging to a criminal organization, and illegal possession of weapons.
The constant power outages in these neighborhoods were the starting point of the operation, called Seles and led by the Drug and Organized Crime Unit (Udyco) of Almería. Investigators hypothesized that the problems were due to possible illegal connections associated with indoor marijuana cultivation in three neighborhoods. They later confirmed on the ground that in various homes in each of them there was a strong smell of this plant, as well as air conditioning devices constantly running and machinery noise related to this task coming from rooms equipped with artificial lighting, ventilation, and air extraction systems. They also found that the activity was coordinated among several nearby properties, facilitating the responsible parties’ tasks of control, surveillance, and care of the plantations. The same applied to the subsequent processing of the plants for drying, as well as distribution and final sale.
After learning all the logistics, Udyco Almería launched the operation that last Friday, May 22, served to enter and search several homes simultaneously in the early hours with the support of the Prevention and Reaction Units. The operation seized three tons of marijuana plants and more than four tons of cuttings, as well as 70 kilos of marijuana buds and 27 more of hashish. In addition to nearly 50,000 euros in cash, three firearms ready to use were captured: a Grand Power caliber 380 Auto, which was loaded with a cartridge in the chamber; a Glock pistol caliber 9 millimeters Parabellum; and a .38 caliber revolver. All with numerous rounds of ammunition. More than 400 objects and tools related to the indoor cultivation infrastructure were also dismantled, including lights, transformers, extractors, and fans, as well as 50 air conditioning units.
The investigation — framed within the Fifth Phase of the Special Security Plan for the Campo de Gibraltar — also revealed the existence of alleged illegal connections to the electricity supply in several of the investigated properties, which would have been used to supply the high energy consumption necessary for maintaining the plantations and caused the constant power outages in the neighborhoods for the rest of the residents. Ten people were arrested in the operation and were brought before the Instruction Section of the Almería Court of First Instance, Plaza number 6, on duty.
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