CCPD: Additional grow houses discovered
A Cape Coral man accused of growing marijuana is back in jail after two more home searches.
Jair Baluja-Martinez, 39, of 931 Skyline Blvd., was arrested again Thursday and charged with one count each of marijuana traffick excess of 25 pounds or 300 plants or more, drugs traffick possess structure vehicle know traffick drugs and drugs produce structure vehicle know drugs manufactured.
According to booking records, he was also charged with two counts each of marijuana producing and drug equipment possess and or use. Baluja-Martinez remains at the Lee County Jail without bond.
Baluja-Martinez was initially arrested and charged Tuesday with marijuana traffick excess of 25 pounds or 300 plants or more, marijuana producing, drug equipment possess and or use and drugs traffick possess structure vehicle know traffic drugs. He was let go the next day on $37,500 bond.
According to officials, the Cape Coral police obtained and served a search warrant at 2416 N.E. 22nd Place on Tuesday after receiving information that a marijuana grow house operation was inside.
The search yielded 80 marijuana plants, weighing a total of 137 pounds.
The drugs reportedly had a street value in excess of $100,000.
On Thursday, officials reported that the Cape police conducted a follow-up investigation based on evidence and information collected surrounding Tuesday’s bust and dismantled two more operations.
Search warrants were served at 1612 N.E. Eighth Place and 1717 W. Third Ave.
Both residences were found to be unoccupied and had been converted into high-tech greenhouses for the purpose of cultivating marijuana, according to officials.
The searches yielded more than 300 plants, weighing a total of almost 900 pounds.
The drugs reportedly had a street value of nearly $1 million.
Baluja-Martinez was located at a home at 931 Skyline Blvd. and again taken into custody.
“The Cape Coral Police Department is proud of the tenacity by our VIN Unit detectives, whose persistence led to the discovery of these additional grow house operations,” Sgt. Dana Coston, the spokesman for the CCPD, said in a prepared statement Thursday.
“The work and team effort by Cape Coral Police Department SCU and SWAT led to quick and safe execution of the warrants and the removal of this element from our community,” he added.
Baluja-Martinez has a court appearance scheduled for Dec. 2.