Gilroy Police: pot found in trunk, separate cultivation operation found

 Posted on March 15, 2012 in Dealing with the Police

Three Gilroy teens were arrested early Tuesday on serious drug charges after law enforcement stopped a vehicle for being suspicious. In all, Gilroy police claim an officer saw several "suspicious vehicles" while on patrol at around 2:55 a.m. The officer asserts that the vehicles sped off when the squad approached the area, and the officer made a traffic stop of a Honda a short time after the several cars dispersed.

Authorities claim that the truck of the Honda was not fully closed because it was overflowing with marijuana plants. Three men in the Honda were reportedly arrested on suspicion of marijuana possession for sales. Authorities say that police found equipment in the street where the Gilroy officer originally saw the allegedly suspicious vehicles parked. Law enforcement concluded that the equipment looked like it may be similar to objects used to cultivate marijuana.

During the wee hours of the morning, law enforcement thought two homes looked suspicious, and police concluded that the homes must have been burglarized. Police allege that they entered the homes as a safety precaution in the middle of the night.

Inside the residences, law enforcement says that they found an elaborate indoor marijuana cultivation operation. Law enforcement apparently used that information to later obtain a search warrant and reportedly seized equipment and over 900 marijuana plants that law enforcement believes would be worth $400,000 on the street.

Naturally, police are looking for more people to arrest in relation to the alleged pot growing operation.

As for the three men taken into custody for being present in the neighborhood, one is facing California burglary charges. He also faces drug charges, including possession for sale and transportation of marijuana charges. The two other men taken into custody face similar drug charges, but, at least according to news reports, may not be currently facing burglary charges. Law enforcement says that the investigation continues.

Gilroy police apparently do not believe any of the three men arrested Tuesday morning were involved in the alleged marijuana cultivation operation. Authorities claim a nearby electrical box appeared to have been compromised. Law enforcement called the Gilroy Fire Department and employees of PG&E to the scene.

PG&E claims that the marijuana grow was powered from the compromised box. They estimate $160,000 worth of electrical service was stolen to power the alleged marijuana grow.

Source: Central Coast News KIONrightnow, "Car loaded with marijuana leads Gilroy Police to 3 arrests," March 13, 2012