The Mossos d’Esquadra and the National Police from the Mataró (Maresme), Cornellà de Llobregat and Sant Adrià de Besòs (Barcelonès Nord) police stations have broken up a criminal group that was growing marijuana in homes and industrial warehouses. Eleven people have been arrested who are attributed to belonging to a criminal group, crimes against public health for drug trafficking, fraud of electricity, falsification of public documents, usurpation of civil status and possession of weapons and explosives.
On January 24, the exploitation of the case was carried out where eleven people were arrested and ten raids and searches were carried out in the towns of Mataró, Cabrils, Sant Adrià de Besòs, Sant Antoni de Vilamajor Sant Antoni de Llavaneres, Riells and Viabrea and Vallirana. During the searches, more than 97 kg of marijuana buds, about 4,000 plants in the process of growth, 223,495 euros in cash, a firearm and a machete, among other objects of interest for the investigation, were seized.
A criminal group that operated from a Grow shop in Mataró. The group was distributed in a hierarchical manner and established the same pattern of action in its criminal activity and the only known source of income was that which came from the sale of the marijuana produced. The members of the criminal group rented, in an apparently legal way, properties with the same characteristics: houses with four winds in quiet urbanizations and built for people with high purchasing power.
In order to process the rental of future indoor marijuana plantations, they established various strategies, or they did so through false identities, through documentation from third parties, with no background or direct involvement with the group, or directly falsifying the public documents necessary to carry out the rental agreement. Once in possession of the house, one or more people were in charge of starting the plantation: they made the fraudulent connection to the electrical network and participated in the process of growing, drying and preparing the marijuana for distribution . On the other hand, they protected them against eventual thefts by other groups or organizations.
The researchers have been able to determine that the final destination of the marijuana were countries in the center of Europe, where the price of the place of sale to the consumer could double or triple. Two of the detainees were in charge of keeping control of the “gardeners”, they supplied them with the necessary material for the plantations, as well as products and food so that the people who were in charge of the plantations did not need to leave their homes.
The “gardeners” were foreigners who had just arrived in Catalonia, had no police record and did not understand or speak Catalan or Spanish. They used to be captured in their country of origin by the bosses of the criminal group, they traveled to Catalonia with their passports and obtained a tourist visa with a limit of 90 days, which was the time they used to carry out the work of gardeners, and then return to their country.
They lived on the same plantations in unsanitary conditions and slept on mattresses that were found scattered on the ground surrounded by the dirt that was generated on the plantation. They were totally dependent on the leaders of the organization, since they did not have vehicles and not even cash. In relation to the heads of the criminal group, two have no police records, while another, the same one whose firearm was seized at his home, has one for intentional homicide. Much of the material to start up and maintain productive plantations was purchased from the same Grow Shop in the town of Mataró.
On January 24, after obtaining all the indications of participation in the crime, a joint operation was carried out by the two police forces, in which eleven people were arrested. Three of these would form part of the leadership of the group and the rest would have the role of gardeners and caretakers of the plantations. Once they declared at police headquarters, the arrest of the gardeners was annulled, pending their appearance before the judicial authority.
Six of the ten entries and investigations were in indoor marijuana plantations, where more than 97 kg of marijuana buds were intervened, close to 4,000 plants in different stages of growth, 223,495 euros in cash, a firearm with ammunition and with the number series erased and a machete. In addition, it was possible to seize various false documents, and another belonging to third parties unrelated to the investigation, other documents related to the investigation and vehicle keys and a large number of mobile phones. On January 26, they were handed over to the Illustrious Investigating Court number 2 of Mataró, which ordered their release with charges and precautionary measures.
As soon as criminal organizations and groups settle in Catalonia to launch illicit businesses related to marijuana, the key factor is the place to grow. In the case of indoor plantations, a space with certain conditions is necessary so that they can develop the business in the most productive way possible.
In a first stage, the organizations occupied spaces, houses in urbanizations or far from the center of the populations. In this case, what these groups seek is to maximize the benefit of the illegal business based on cost reduction. This management means that when the owners of the property or residents of the area detect the occupation, it is easier for the police forces to initiate investigations and dismantle the plantations.
In a second stage, the marijuana producers themselves choose to legalize the acquisition of real estate, either with real documentation, through third parties or with false documentation, as in this case. Through these rentals, although initially it is more expensive for them, the problems that arise from employment are avoided, making the benefit more profitable based on the increase in the time spent in these homes, which will produce much more drugs, before the units of investigation dismantle the marijuana plantations.