The Guardia Civil has dismantled a sophisticated indoor cannabis plantation operating from an industrial warehouse in Balsicas, Torre Pacheco.
Almost 800 cannabis plants and more than one kilogram of MDMA were seized during Operation Grapping, an investigation conducted between March and July as part of the authorities’ campaign against drug trafficking.
Three suspects, aged 18, 19 and 38, were arrested on suspicion of cultivating or producing drugs, illegally obtaining electricity and belonging to a criminal organisation.
The investigation began after officers received information suggesting that marijuana was being cultivated on a large scale inside an industrial building in Balsicas.
Surveillance around the property revealed that several people appeared to be living inside and rarely ventured outdoors. After gathering sufficient evidence, investigators presented their findings to a court and obtained a warrant to enter and search the premises.
A large police operation was subsequently launched at the warehouse, where officers discovered a sophisticated indoor growing facility equipped to maintain cannabis production throughout the year.
The Guardia Civil dismantled almost 200 LED growing lights fitted with adjustable transformers, dozens of ventilation units and substantial quantities of chemicals used in the cultivation process.
Investigators also discovered what they described as a professionally installed illegal connection to the electricity network, allegedly used to power the energy-intensive plantation without payment.
Around 800 cannabis plants in an advanced stage of growth were confiscated, together with more than one kilogram of MDMA.
Police said the suspects had converted part of the industrial warehouse into living accommodation. The building contained individual bedrooms, toilets, a recreational area, a dining room and a kitchen stocked with large quantities of food.
According to investigators, these arrangements allowed the group to remain inside the warehouse for several weeks at a time, limiting their movements and reducing the risk of attracting attention.
The plantation was allegedly operated as an intensive and continuous cultivation system, organised in cycles that allowed cannabis crops to be harvested approximately every three months.
The three suspects remain under investigation in connection with drug production, electricity fraud and alleged membership of a criminal group.
