Published Thursday, April 23, 2020

Police destroy marijuana plantation
in the southern zone

By the A.M. Costa  Rica staff

An anonymous call led police from the Uvita delegation in Bahia Ballena Puntarenas Province to an empty marijuana plantation.

According to the police report, when the officers arrived at the property located in a mountainous area, they found the plantation of at least 1,680 different sized marijuana plants, ranging from 20 centimeters to one meter in height.

Of the total plants found, there were 800 that had been harvested and were placed on trays, said the police.

After making the case report and seizure of the artifacts found on the property to be used as evidence in the investigation, the plants were destroyed.

"Thanks to the citizen complaint, marijuana plants were destroyed and thus prevented this drug from reaching the different communities," said the police in its report.

No people were located on the property, so no detainees were reported. However, police sent a report to the Judicial Investigation Organization so the investigation can remain open in order to find the people responsible for the marijuana plantation.

This is the second case of marijuana found by police this week.


On Saturday, the police arrested a woman suspected of transporting drugs. According to the police report, during a routine operation in the Jaco Beach in Puntarenas Province, a taxi was stopped in which two women were traveling with drugs in the vehicle.

According to the police, one of the women, surnamed Romero-Ramírez, was carrying a 500-gram package of marijuana hidden in her purse. She was taken to the cells of the Public Ministry where she was interrogated by the judicial agents. She must wait for a judge to order the pre-trial measures against her.

Costa Rica has strict laws in place for drug traffickers.

The Law No. 8204 "Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances" states that prison time is anywhere from eight to 20 years for anyone who, without legal authorization, participates, in any way, as an author, co-author or instigator, in drug trafficking.



----------------------
Have you heard of clandestine marijuana crops in your community?   We would like to know your thoughts on this story. Send your comments to news@amcostarica.com