(PORT CHARLOTTE) Charlotte County Sheriff Bill Prummell announced at a press conference this morning that three marijuana grow houses was raided Tuesday in Port Charlotte as “Operation Green House” continues. A total of 351.35 pounds of marijuana was seized and three arrests made. Street value is $1.2 million.
At the press conference, Sheriff Prummell said, “On March 1 we raided a grow house at 18099 Bly Avenue in Port Charlotte that led our Narcotics detectives to the three marijuana grow houses Tuesday. At the Bly Avenue home we seized 400 pounds of marijuana and made two arrests. The street value was set at $1.4 million. Our new Special Investigations Division is doing an awesome job and it looks like our grow house investigations are going to get bigger and spread to other jurisdictions. Drugs are the root of most crimes in Charlotte County; we have been hitting drugs hard and are seeing a decrease in burglary and theft cases already.” At the press conference, Sheriff Prummell was asked if he had anything to say to the growers and drug dealers and he replied, “Get out of my county!”
Tuesday’s search warrants were executed at the three homes that were growing hydroponic marijuana. Forced entry was made to all the homes and detectives located the usual special air conditioning systems, irrigation equipment, grow lights and chemicals, along with marijuana plants at the following locations:
7:30 a.m., 1301 Hinton Street, Port Charlotte; two growing rooms, 114 plant, 277.75 pounds marijuana.
Arrested: Yoanna Garcia, 27, for Cultivating Marijuana and Trafficking in Marijuana. Bond: $27,500.
1:00 p.m., 3172 Normandy Drive, Port Charlotte; two growing rooms,115 plants and 18 vacuum sealed bags of marijuana, 37.05 pounds.
Arrested: Lanier Lugones Calderon, 24, for Cultivating in Marijuana, Trafficking in Marijuana, Possession of Drug Paraphernalia. Bond $28,500.
6:00 p.m., 2315 Lee Terrace, Port Charlotte; two growing rooms with plants that had been harvested but detectives located several plastic bags in the attic with dried plants and bags containing growing material. More bags were located in a backyard shed with growing material. The dried marijuana plants, stems and clippings seized weighed 36.55 pounds.
Arrested: Martha Lahera Estrada, 43, Cultivating in Marijuana and Trafficking in Marijuana. Bond: $27,500.