Police Investigating Gambling Den Finds Illegal Cannabis Grow-Op
After receiving a fresh search warrant, police got about 15 kg of marijuana, 11.3 kg of THC product, a loaded magazine for a large-capacity rifle, and two pistols.
San Jose police were monitoring an underground casino from last summer, recently caught a casino where police also found illegal marijuana cultivation.
In the summer, the police of the Burglary Prevention Unit (BPU) of the San Jose Police exposed criminal betting activity in a shop in a business sector of the town.
“The location was a hub for a variety of illegal activities, including gambling, drug dealing, and the buying and selling of stolen property,” the SJPD said in a report.
But this was the first successful raid. Fulfilling a search warrant for a betting room in mid-September, many inmates escaped the scene of the crime, breaking down walls and digging tunnels in neighboring facilities.
Cannabis Laws in California
According to SJPD’s spokesperson Sergeant Christian Camarillo, people exited through the back doors of the business next door and after the arrest of the criminals, they found that the two businesses were connected.
When police tracked down the suspects, police said that they found a store that was conducting large-scale illicit indoor cannabis cultivation, although the plant’s amount is unknown.
After receiving further search permission, police discovered about 15 kg of marijuana, 11.3 kg of THC product, a loaded magazine for a large-capacity rifle, and two pistols.
The casino and ranch owners were recognized, and both were captured at the end of last month. Upon issuing search permission at the house, BPU investigators and police found $ 30,000 in cash, more than 136 kg of Industrial Hemp with a market value of $ 600k, ammunition, and two pistols.
Mike Lee, 36, and John Le, 45, who was banned from holding weapons, were charged with operating an undercover bar, possessing firearms, and selling cannabis.
In California, where marijuana is legal, people over the age of 21 can grow 6 marijuana plants for their own use. But commercial activity needs a government license, and outdoor cultivation is generally prohibited in many areas.
Similar Cases Such as This One
It is not the first case that the police were investigating one case and then discovered another one as well.
Two men were caught in the UK last year after police found an illegal farmer investigating a commercial building invasion. Also, last year, Queensland police in Australia investigated a different case in which they discovered an average-sized unauthorized farm guarded by the alleged owner’s pet, a carpet python.
The legalization of marijuana has been a controversial debate in many countries in the last few years, however, although many of them decided to legalize it whether for medical-only use or for recreational purposes, in many countries its production is strictly controlled by the authorities.
This is the exact purpose why, as previously mentioned, in California only people aged 21 or above can grow a maximum of 6 marijuana plants for their own purposes, and the old cultivation is strictly forbidden in certain areas.