Police arrested two Hollister residents for cultivating and
selling marijuana out of their home on El Toro Drive Sunday, and
confiscated upwards of $50,000 of marijuana in the process.
Hollister – Police arrested two Hollister residents for cultivating and selling marijuana out of their home on El Toro Drive Sunday, and confiscated upwards of $50,000 of marijuana in the process.
Police responded to a call of a large party and possibly someone firing a gun at the home of Eric Castro, 23, and Christopher Valdez, 25, just after midnight Sunday, said Unified Narcotic Enforcement Team Commander Mark Colla.
After officers broke up the party in the 1100 block of El Toro Drive, they searched the house to make sure no one was injured due to the report that gunshots were fired, Colla said. During their search they found eight large growing lights, several 7-gallon containers filled with liquid fertilizer, and the floor of the master bedroom had been completely covered with a plastic tarp to set large containers where the marijuana plants were being grown in, Colla said.
Inside one of the bathrooms, police found nine or 10 marijuana plants, between four to five feet in length, hanging upside down drying, Colla said. They also found eight pounds of processed marijuana in the kitchen, he said. In all, the marijuana could have yielded around $50,000 on the street, he said.
Police also found more evidence in the garage, where several additional barrels that had contained marijuana plants were found, he said.
Colla said the duo had possibly grown between 30 to 50 plants and most likely sold the bulk of the drugs.
Both men were arrested with felony possession of marijuana for sale and marijuana cultivation. Valdez is still in custody in lieu of $25,000 bail, but Castro posted his $25,000 bail just after being booked Sunday, according to jail personnel.
Erin Musgrave covers public safety for the Free Lance. Reach her at 637-5566, ext. 336 or [email protected]
