The smell gives the game away for growers in Javea

EVEN without a search warrant, their noses and their ears told two Guardia Civil officers that there was marihuana around. The officers were patrolling a Javea urbanisation when they noticed a strong smell of marihuana and the unmistakable sound of electric fans coming from a villa.

A power company technician, who was sent by investigators to inspect the property’s electricity cables from the outside, confirmed that the connection was illegal.

The Guardia Civil then requested a court order to access and search the house.

Once inside officers found and confiscated 3.6 kilos of marihuana, 60 grammes of hashish and 30 grammes of hashish pollen. They also discovered two grammes of cocaine and nine grammes of LSD, as well as equipment for growing and packaging the marihuana.

The villa’s occupants – a 42-year-old Frenchman and a German of 40 – were arrested and charged not only with drugs offences but also defrauding the power company responsible for the villa’s electricity supply.