Published Tuesday, March 20, 2007

Federal Officials Find 542 Marijuana Plants in Lakeland


Five Cuban nationals were arrested Monday in connection with a drug bust that led to the seizure of 542 marijuana plants valued at $542,000.

Polk County Sheriff's officials had received word from members of the High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area Task Force after an investigation led them to a marijuana grow house at 2948 Ewell Road in Lakeland.

When detectives arrived, they saw four men moving trash bags from the home's garage to two different vehicles. Detectives found trash from marijuana in both bags, including large marijuana plant stems and trimmings. The home itself had a four-room marijuana grow lab complete with lights, light ballasts, dehumidifiers and paperwork.

The four men and the homeowner were all arrested for Trafficking in Cannabis and Conspiracy to Traffic Cannabis and being held with no bond in the Polk County Jail.

They are Elias Rubio, 33, of 2948 Ewell Road in Lakeland; Vladimir Forminalla, 23, of 118 Hialeah Drive in Hialeah; Teudis Zamora, 22, of 3421 Second Ave. S.E. in Naples; Jorge Morales, 44, of 10021 45th St. N.W. in Miami; and Jose Castillo, 26, of 240 Everglades Blvd. S. in Naples.

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