Lamezia Terme (CZ), Discovery of a vast plantation of 1,200 plants of Cannabis Indica.
The Carabinieri of the Lamezia Terme Sambiase Station – together with personnel of the Calabria Hunters Squadron – carried out a series of round-up services conducted through an aerial reconnaissance, carried out by an AB412 helicopter of the 8th Carabinieri Helicopter Nucleus of Vibo Valentia. The military, going up and along the streams present in Acquadauzano localityafter having noticed some “indicators” that growers usually place to verify a possible passage of people in the areas affected by the plantation (creation of obstacles along the obligatory access routes or positioning of stumbling blocks) they located a large cultivation of indica cannabislocated on several terraces and hidden among the thick vegetation.
The plantation, which extended over a state-owned area of about 1600m2was made up of approx 1,200 marijuana plants, of variable height between 160 and 250 cm, adequately irrigated by timed irrigation systems that drew water from a nearby tank. The Carabinieri, on the orders of the Public Prosecutor of Lamezia Terme, proceeded to destroy the plants on site. The intervention, which took place in a phase of vegetative maturation close to harvesting, made it possible to subtract numerous marijuana plants from the consequent processing which, once on the market, would have made a illicit profit exceeding 800,000 euros. Investigations are underway to trace those responsible for the illicit cultivation.