Local authorities wrapped up a two-month-long operation Tuesday that involved five arrests and a handful of alleged grow house busts.
The Lee County Sheriff’s Office and the Cape Coral Police Department had joined forces to work an active group of marijuana grow operations in Lehigh Acres and the Cape. Search warrants were executed on three homes in the Cape and one in Lehigh, according to a prepared statement from the LCSO.
The following individuals were taken into custody and charged:
n Norges Rodriguez Carballo, 39, of 1370 13th, Miami, with one count of trafficking in marijuana
n Elizabeth Perez, 21, of 5150 N.W. 199th Terrace, Apt. 606, Miami, with one count each of cultivation of marijuana, possession of marijuana more than 20 grams and possession of marijuana with intent to distribute within 1,000 feet of a school zone
n Armin Jesus Dominguez, 26, of 3051 W. 76th St., Apt. 211, Hialeah, with one count each of cultivation of marijuana, possession of marijuana more than 20 grams and possession of marijuana with intent to distribute within 1,000 feet of a school zone
n Osmani Reinerio Portelles, 39, of 1434 S.E. 34th St., with two counts each of cultivation of marijuana and possession of equipment to cultivate
A total of $264,000 worth of marijuana was seized in the operation.
According to officials, the first search warrant was executed March 18 at 2427 N.E. 22nd Ave. During a search of the residence, Cape detectives found that all three bedrooms had been converted into cultivation rooms. Police seized marijuana 40 plants with a street value of $160,000.
Carballo was arrested and charged. According to jail booking records, he had been released on $50,000 bond from the Lee County Jail as of Wednesday.
On Tuesday, Cape police executed search warrants at 2002 N.W. 18th Terrace and 2121 N.W. 18th Place. The warrants were reportedly a result of information gained through the joint investigation with the sheriff’s office.
According to officials, both homes had been abandoned at the time of the searches and the cultivation systems had been dismantled. Within the homes still remained 4 pounds of marijuana plants and equipment required to grow marijuana, including soil, fertilizer, and electrical and lighting equipment.
The power was reportedly illegally tapped on both homes, and electricity was being stolen to power the operation. Portelles was arrested and charged.
He remained booked at the Lee County Jail on no bond Wednesday.
Also Tuesday, detectives with the LCSO executed a search warrant at 4318 14th St., W., in Lehigh. They discovered that three rooms had been converted for the cultivation of marijuana, officials reported. Twenty-four plants were seized resulting in a recovery of 22.5 pounds of marijuana worth $96,000.
Additional equipment seized included 1,000-watt light bulbs, potting soil, fertilizer and fans, along with other paraphernalia used to grow marijuana. Again, the power was illegally tapped and the electricity was being stolen.
Perez and Dominguez were arrested and charged.
The Lehigh home was within 1,000 feet of Varsity Lakes Middle School.
As of Wednesday, both remained at the Lee County Jail on no bond.