The Civil Guard has dismantled a double marijuana plantation in Oliva, Valencia province. The investigation, which began due to odors detected in an urban dwelling, has resulted in the arrest of four men and the seizure of 27 kilograms of marijuana buds, along with 670 plants in an advanced state of growth.
The plantations were located in two properties in the same town: one dwelling in the urban area and another in a rural, scattered area. The arrested individuals are charged with crimes against public health for drug trafficking, as well as document forgery, belonging to a criminal group, and electricity fraud.
The investigation started when officers detected suspicious odors emanating from a property. Initially, the circumstances of the dwelling did not suggest an indoor plantation, but this lead opened a line of inquiry that led to a second property in a rural area of Oliva, where illicit activity related to marijuana cultivation was also suspected.
Investigations confirmed that both properties were involved in electricity fraud, consistent with the high energy consumption typical of indoor cultivation. Investigators determined that the organization members performed various roles, from surveillance and maintenance of the plantations to providing false or usurped documentation for renting the properties.
The operation concluded with two searches of the plantations, where the 27 kilograms of buds and 670 plants were found. The four arrested individuals, men aged between 25 and 55 of Albanian and Ukrainian nationality, possessed advanced technological systems to prevent odors and hinder detection. One of the detainees had an entry ban into the Schengen area issued by France. The investigation was carried out by agents from Gandía and the Valencia Command.
