Ever wonder what goes in behind the gates of some high-end homes in places like Bosques de Doña Rosa, in La Asunción de Belén, Heredia? In one case, authorities found ¢13 million colones and US$8,000 dollars in cash and 15 kilos of hydroponic marijuana (processed) and 53 marijuana plants.
The find was made when agents of the Organismo de Investigación Judicial (OIJ) made a search of the property this Wednesday afternoon, following up on a call received by the Fuerza Publica (National Police) from neighbors, saying that they had heard gunfire shorts coming from the home.
Inside, police and paramedics of the Cruz Roja (Red Cross) found two men, one had been shot and was in delicate condition, the other was able to drive himself to hospital.
Juan Pablo, head of the Heredia regional police delegation, explained the two men were brothers identified by their last names Fisher Gonzalez, aged 29 and 31, who had been living it the rented house (US$1,600 monthly) for the last couple of months.
The police chief continued that the younger brother who was seriously wounded remains in hospital, who besides being shot had also been beaten.
The older brother fled hospital after being treated for minor injuries.
The money stash and illegal drugs were found when the OIJ, with warrants, searched the house when the found the hydroponic lab.
Marijuana produced in a controlled environment allows the producer to manipulate the growth and obtain a higher concentration of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), a psychoactive element of cannabis.
This type of marijuana is usually purchased by people with a higher economic capacity, because it is much more expensive than regular marijuana.
An ounce (about 28 grams) can cost more than US$400 dollars (¢231,312 colones) in the market, while the same amount of Jamaican goes for US$50 (¢28,000 colones), according to estimates from the Costa Rican Institute on Drugs (ICD).
Authorities said the Fisher brothers, originally from San Pedro de Santa Barabara de Heredia, had no criminal record.
