Marijuana Distribution Point Dismantled Supplying Elda and Petrer Area

Drug trafficking, illegal possession of firearms, membership in a criminal group, electricity fraud, and even violation of the Animal Protection Law. These are the charges against four individuals arrested in the towns of Elda and Monforte del Cid, responsible for a marijuana cultivation point supplying Elda, Petrer, and surrounding areas.

The National Police have taken charge of this operation, which began earlier this year following information obtained in another operation where three individuals were arrested. Investigations pointed to a house in a rural area of Monforte del Cid, suspected of housing a medium-scale marijuana plantation.

Based on these indications, a device was activated to carry out checks on this property. Officers from the Local Brigade of Judicial Police observed constant movements of people at different times of the day, reinforcing the suspicion of illicit activity.

Once sufficient evidence was gathered, a search was conducted. Inside the house, two operational "indoor" plantations were found, with crops at different stages of development, equipped with hydroponic systems, LED lamps, air conditioning systems, carbon filters, and extractors. Additionally, tools for the dosage and distribution of narcotics were discovered.

Also seized were nine kilograms of marijuana buds in the drying phase, an air rifle, various doses of cocaine, mobile phones, jewellery, and over 600 euros in cash, allegedly from the sale of substances.

During the search, two firearms were found, one of which was stolen in Murcia. It was a sawed-off shotgun of calibre 12/70 and a semi-automatic pistol of calibre 6.35 mm. The latter was originally a blank-firing weapon and was transformed by replacing the barrel, enabling it to fire live ammunition.

Furthermore, a different brand was engraved on it, making its traceability difficult. These weapons are considered prohibited as their modification makes them illegal and also increases their lethality, according to the National Police.

The house was equipped with a video surveillance system with cameras facing the exterior. It was determined that this system was intended to detect the presence of police forces or potential intruders, including members of other criminal networks specialising in so-called "rip-offs", that is, the violent theft of drugs between rival criminal groups.

During the intervention, the National Police also found a common owl locked in a cage. This species is included in the protected fauna catalogue. Its transfer to a specialised recovery centre was requested, and the corresponding sanction proposal for violation of the Animal Protection Law was formalised.