Father and son arrested after ‘drug lab’ explodes

TWO people were seriously injured and two others arrested after an explosion at a suspected drug lab in Alicante.

It is believed that gas bottles kept in a store room at the house in El Moralet caused the explosion, while paint solvent helped spread the flames.

Emergency services received a call that a home was on fire.

When they arrived at the scene they found a father and son attempting to extinguish the flames.

As fire-fighters fought the flames, the Guardia Civil questioned the father and son to find out the possible cause of the explosion.

Both men told officers that there were two gas bottles in the storeroom and that nobody had been injured.

Shortly after, information came to light that two young people had been seriously injured in an explosion in a farmhouse and were being treated at Alicante General Hospital.

One of them had burns to 45 per cent of his body.

Since the father and son’s explanation did not seem to fit with the extent of the explosion, officers quickly saw the link between the two incidents, according to official sources.

Upon return to the property they found various marijuana plants – weighing a total of 10kg – and drug paraphernalia, cannabis resin and 100 gas bottles in the basement.

Gas is used to turn marijuana into cannabis, which is why the Guardia Civil suspect it was a drug lab.

Father and son were arrested on drug charges.