The risk of having a neighbor with marijuana: 2,000 plants cause two fires in Barcelona

It's not common to find large marijuana plantations in Barcelona. Space is limited, and apartments tend to be small. This is demonstrated by the fact that in 2024, 542,000 marijuana plants were seized throughout Catalonia. What percentage were found in the Catalan capital? Only 1.98%. Although uncommon, the Mossos d'Esquadra (Catalan police) have recently detected some worrying cases, not only because of the plantations themselves, but also because of the risks they pose to the building's residents. On the morning of November 30th, around 10:30 a.m., a fire on Zamora Street, in the Sant Martí district, required a rapid response from the Barcelona Fire Department. Upon arrival, the police determined that the fire had been caused by an electrical overload. And soon after, they discovered the source: inside an apartment, there were 1,200 marijuana plants in various stages of flowering, illuminated by 60 lights and ventilated by several air conditioners. All the electricity to maintain the setup came from the communal power supply, as they were illegally tapping into it. The officers arrested the person responsible for the plantation, who had no prior criminal record. The seized drugs would have a street value of €127,000. indoor "They are not only a risk to public health, but also to the neighborhood," warns Mossos d'Esquadra Superintendent David Sànchez, head of the Sant Martí Basic Police Area. In this regard, he urges residents "not to hesitate to call the police" if they detect such a case.

The apartment on Zamora Street that was raided was a rented unit with all the paperwork in order, which complicated the police investigation. The following day, the Catalan police responded to a similar incident: on Auger Street, at the other end of Sant Martí, another fire in an apartment building revealed an indoor marijuana grow operation with 700 plants. The alleged perpetrators, one of whom had two prior convictions for public health offenses, were trying to flee the scene by car, but were eventually arrested. Again, it was a rented apartment, and the electricity was illegally tapped. Together, the two marijuana grow operations dismantled by the Catalan police consumed the equivalent of 130 households' worth of electricity, according to Endesa technicians.

However, the two plantations and those responsible for them were unrelated. The Mossos d'Esquadra (Catalan police) investigation remains open to determine the role of the detainees, aged between 25 and 49, in the plantation. They are investigating whether they were security guards or owners. In any case, the amount of marijuana seized totals 2,000 plants in two days – 10,700 were found throughout Barcelona in all of 2024.

Chief Inspector Sánchez warns that, beyond the fire risk, marijuana plantations can have other adverse consequences for residents. One is water: these crops require large quantities of water during their growth and flowering phases. This can lead to water leaks and the accumulation of water on permeable surfaces, resulting in dampness in adjacent buildings. Furthermore, the plantations produce a strong odor that can affect the well-being of residents, often causing sleep disturbances, headaches, irritability, vomiting, and other health problems. However, as the mayor also warned, marijuana often brings with it violence. No firearms were found at either plantation, but it is common practice for their guards to be armed to prevent robberies by rival gangs.