Pubdate: Tue, 13 May 2008 Source: Lehigh Acres Citizen (FL) Contact: http://drugsense.org/url/hJnG2xAa Copyright: 2008 Lehigh Acres Citizen Website: http://www.lehighacrescitizen.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/4763 Author: Mel Toadvine Note: MAP archives articles exactly as published, except that our editors may redact the names and addresses of accused persons who have not been convicted of a crime, if those named are not otherwise public figures or officials. Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/pot.htm (Marijuana) EIGHT ARRESTED IN GROW HOUSE SWEEP Marijuana Seized Locally Worth $3 Million Eight people who live in Lehigh Acres are facing charges today of operating a grow house and cultivating marijuana. Two other people who are being sought are described as "people of interest," according to the Lee County Sheriff's Office. The sweep to shut down marijuana grow houses in Lehigh came May 1, and was referred to as Operation D-Day by the South Florida High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA), in which Lee County took part in dismantling a record number of grow houses in a single day. Those arrested and their charges include: [redacted] Investigators said these four grow houses had a total of 159 plants seized. Lehigh Acres in Lee County had the third highest number of grow house sweeps in the state,, with 12, officials said. Only Miami-Dade, with 50 houses busted and 49 arrests, and Palm Beach County with 16 houses busted with 15 arrests, were higher. Statewide there were 151 grow houses hit with 135 arrests. In Lehigh, authorities said 738 plants worth nearly $3 million were seized. Statewide, authorities said 9,249 plants were confiscated in grow house operations. Sheriff Mike Scott held a news conference and said they were supported by various components of the Sheriff's Office, four teams lead by narcotics detectives followed up on citizen tips and intelligence information. In a statement released Thursday, investigators said narcotic detectives swooped down on 55 residences on April 30 and as a result, 12 homes were discovered as active grow houses, while several others were found abandoned or under restoration from what were once likely operations. The 738 plants seized in Lehigh weighed 1,400 pounds, investigators said. Scott said the street value was estimated to be about $2,952,000. "We're not going to tolerate this. We're going after these people who break the laws," Scott said. One of the homes although not operating as a grow house, turned out to be an illegal dental office. According to investigators, it was at 1025 Milwaukee Blvd. Investigators said Julio Cesar Santana, 64, of Miami, greeted deputies at the door. The rooms of the home were crudely partitioned with sheets of wood. Investigators said dental chairs, an X-ray machine and other equipment were set up throughout the house. According to a Sheriff's report, patients were even sitting in a makeshift waiting room as detectives entered the house. The case was turned over to detectives with the Sheriff's Office Bravo (East) District, who along with a representative with the Florida Department of Health, confirmed the equipment and operation was illegal. Santana was charged with practicing dentistry without a license. The Lehigh Acres Fire Department was called out to investigate the solutions and chemicals, some outdated, that were discovered at the site. The South Florida region has experienced a tremendous increase in residential hydroponic marijuana labs (grow houses), according to officials. "The statewide propagation of these operations is quickly reaching the level of an epidemic and must be addressed accordingly. Not only has the illicit cultivation of hydroponic marijuana become an organized criminal enterprise, but it is now characterized with an increase in violent crimes in the form of home invasions, armed robberies, kidnappings, arson and homicides, all committed in the furtherance of the criminal enterprise," according to the HIDTA statement. "We intend to send a clear message to organized traffickers that we're here to fight this blight in our communities and law enforcement is unified in this fight," Scott said. The Florida Senate passed a bill the day after the raids that will make the owner of a home that is used as a grow house to be charged with trafficking in marijuana. The bill notes the number of plants to make the charge stick needs to be 25. The bill had originally called for 300 plants as evidence. Gov. Crist is expected to sign the bill and it will take effect immediately. Charlotte County law enforcement authorities said two houses were hit there with two arrests and 997 marijuana plants seized. In Collier County, nine houses were hit with nine people arrested and 203 with a street value of $609,000. Also recovered in Collier County was a loaded rifle from one of the houses. - --- MAP posted-by: Richard Lake