Else Beekman
Police in the Alicante coastal town of Dénia have arrested three people after uncovering a marijuana plantation and various stolen items in a house that had been illegally occupied.
The case began when a local resident reported a burglary at his rural home, saying several belongings had gone missing. National Police officers launched an investigation that soon pointed to a nearby property known to be squatted.
Surveillance confirms illegal occupancy
El Confidencial writes that undercover surveillance of the property allowed police to identify one of the occupants. As evidence mounted, suspicions grew that those inside might be connected to the burglary.
Search reveals drugs and stolen goods
With a court warrant, police searched the house. Inside, they found multiple items reported stolen from the victim’s home. Additionally, they fount other objects suspected to have been acquired unlawfully.
More significantly, officers discovered a concealed marijuana plantation in a garden annexe. The setup included 318 cannabis plants and an illegal, unmetered connection to the local power supply.
Three arrested, one still at large
Police arrested one man and two women at the scene. All three face charges of burglary, drug trafficking, and electricity fraud. A fourth suspect has been identified but was not present during the raid.
Other similar incidents in the region
This is not the first time Dénia has been linked to illegal cannabis operations. In March 2025, two people were arrested after police discovered 150 marijuana plants growing inside a rented home. Here too, the suspects used an unauthorised power supply. Furthermore, they paid their rent in cash to avoid detection.
In another separate investigation, police officers dismantled a criminal gang using falsified documents to rent rural homes. In these homes they established indoor cannabis farms. Two men were arrested, and 150 mature plants were confiscated. The drugs were reportedly destined for distribution across Europe.
The latest investigation remains open as police pursue further leads.
Unprecedented increase in marijuana production in Spain