RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – A plantation of approximately 40,000 marijuana plants was found by the police on Friday, August 16th, in Canudos, a city in the north of Bahia.
According to information from the Secretary of Public Security (SSP-BA), the site was discovered with the aid of a drone, following an anonymous tip.
The plantation was located in the district of Bendegó. After a few hours flying over the region, state police found the 40,000 marijuana plants, and a large part of the crop had already been harvested. On-site, there were also camping sites used by individuals who serviced the plantation.
With the arrival of the police, a group fled in a vehicle, but an unidentified individual armed with a rifle was surrounded and arrested. After the drugs were apprehended, the marijuana plants were incinerated.
Twenty-four hours later, police officers seized another 125,000 plants in an area of approximately 25,000 square meters, in a nearby town in the municipality of Canudos, in northern Bahia.
According to the Secretariat of Public Security (SSP-BA), the plantation was located in the district of Juá.
Police officers from the 25th Interior Civil Police Coordinator (COORPIN/Euclides da Cunha), the 5th State Police Battalion and the Regional Technical Police Coordinator received anonymous tips hours after the first seizure in Bendegó district.
The police teams found major infrastructure for growing the drug, with irrigation systems, artesian wells and camping sites used by individuals who serviced the plantation.
The body reported that the suspects fled the area. According to the SSP, it is estimated that approximately twenty people work in the maintenance of the drugs.
Altogether, 165,000 marijuana plants were found, seized, and incinerated in just 24 hours by the police.
The case is being investigated at the Euclides da Cunha police station.