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24 million cash stuffed in buckets recovered at suspected pot dealer’s home

Tudo

Troublemaker
Moderator
ICMag Donor
Veteran
24 million cash stuffed in buckets recovered at suspected pot dealer’s home

The money seizure is biggest in history of Miami-Dade police
Arrested was Luis Hernandez-Gonzalez, owner of ‘indoor gardening’ store

Bundles of bills found in buckets in hidden attic compartment

Miami-Dade police detectives raiding the home of a suspected marijuana trafficker unearthed at least $24 million in cash — mostly in bundles of $100 bills in heat-sealed bags stuffed in dozens of orange 5-gallon Home Depot-brand buckets.
Authorities are still counting the money, most of which was found inside a secret compartment in the attic of the Miami Lakes home but it already qualifies as the largest cash seizure in the department’s history.

Arrested was Luis Hernandez-Gonzalez, 44, who owns and operates the Blossom Experience, a North Miami-Dade store that sells lights, fans and other equipment for indoor gardening. The business is believed to cater to Miami’s robust but illegal marijuana grow-house industry.

The discovery on Tuesday was part of investigation by the police, prosecutors and the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration into Hernandez-Gonzalez, who runs the business on the 7200 block of Northwest 54th Street, and two other men believed to be trafficking marijuana in Tennessee


Miami-Dade police detectives raiding the home of a suspected marijuana trafficker unearthed at least $24 million in cash — mostly in bundles of $100 bills in heat-sealed bags stuffed in dozens of orange 5-gallon Home Depot-brand buckets.
Authorities are still counting the money, most of which was found inside a secret compartment in the attic of the Miami Lakes home but it already qualifies as the largest cash seizure in the department’s history.

Arrested was Luis Hernandez-Gonzalez, 44, who owns and operates the Blossom Experience, a North Miami-Dade store that sells lights, fans and other equipment for indoor gardening. The business is believed to cater to Miami’s robust but illegal marijuana grow-house industry.
The discovery on Tuesday was part of investigation by the police, prosecutors and the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration into Hernandez-Gonzalez, who runs the business on the 7200 block of Northwest 54th Street, and two other men believed to be trafficking marijuana in Tennessee.

For now, Hernandez-Gonzalez was facing a host of state charges, including money laundering, marijuana trafficking and possession of a firearm while committing a felony. He will appear in Miami-Dade bond court on Wednesday afternoon. His sister, Salma Hernandez, who worked at the Blossom Experience, was also arrested and charged.
According to an arrest report, the DEA first began targeting Hernandez-Gonzalez back in 2010, when he openly discussed the ins-and-outs of the marijuana trade with a confidential informant. On its website, Blossom Experience touts itself as “unmatched service and support for their indoor gardening needs.”
His name surfaced again earlier this year when DEA agents monitoring phone calls as part of a wide-ranging marijuana probe that netted the arrest of 11 people in Tennessee.

The wiretaps recorded Hernandez-Gonzalez, in phone calls, giving advice to suspected traffickers in Tennessee about how to care for the plants.


On Tuesday, police and agents raided the Blossom Experience, finding marijuana seeds, marijuana labeled “Super Skunk and Chernobyl” and $180,000 cash in a safe. He admitted to frequently helping customers learn how to “properly cultivate marijuana,” Miami-Dade Detective Jonathan Santana wrote in his arrest report.
Next, the investigators raided his well-to-do home in Miami Lakes, 7780 NW 169th Terr. That’s where they found the cash, along with a loaded Tec-9 pistol with an extended clip, the police report said.
He initially denied there was any money in the house.

To get to the hidden compartment, detectives in the attic had to lift up a fiberglass insulation to get to the window-less compartment where most of the buckets were found. http://www.miamiherald.com/news/local/crime/article86621142.html
 

igrowone

Well-known member
Veteran
i tried to wrap my head around this
hands down the most moneyed grower that's been posted about
and he liked to offer growing advice, not quite a kingpin stereotype
and stashing 24 million where it could have been consumed in a fire?
doesn't sound like it was about the money for him
 

PoweredByLove

Most Loved
so basically they arrested the guy for supporting marijuana growing? oh boy. they still on that conspiracy shit eh? well good thing we don't get paid for our advices or else they would be coming after all of us too eh?
 

Lester Beans

Frequent Flyer
Veteran
So how much money is enough? 24 Milhouse and your still risking your ass growing and running a hydro store?? Damn, take the cash by a few thousand acres somewhere and grow if that's what you want to do.

First time I have heard of being able to get a warrant for just talking about weed. Wow

Such a huge amount of loot, what a complete dumbass. Generations could have survived off of that cash.
 
My homie Louie got a little too greedy. I really feel sorry for his sister Salma. They were really nice people. These were friends of mines that had everything, and lost it all in a moment.
 

Lester Beans

Frequent Flyer
Veteran
I have a hard time feeling bad for the guy. If he wasn't in it for the money, why not give it to people who need it. He didn't so that says to me it was greed. 24 million wasn't enough for this guy. Nice payday for the police and a long time in prison is where his greed got him.

Could have had an island for cripes sake, nope need more money, more more more....mine, mine ,mine
 

MileHighGlass

Senior Member
He could have done so much with that instead of keeping it in the attic. Seems strange to not invest it in something other than orange 5 gallon buckets. :)
 

Capt.Ahab

Feeding the ducks with a bun.
Veteran
His biggest offense is owning a jamomatic Tec-9. Twenty four mil in the house and he chooses that?
 

resinryder

Rubbing my glands together
Veteran
First time I have heard of being able to get a warrant for just talking about weed. Wow


It is illegal in the US to give anyone advice on how to grow marijuana. When a private person gets raided one of the first questions is "Where did you get/who gave you the (nute) recipe.
The correct answer to that question is "I need to consult with my lawyer and I'm exercising my right to remain silent."
 

Oliver Pantsoff

Active member
Veteran
I'm sure they were good people. He just got comfortable. You gotta know when to cut people off..24 million was enough for him to quit, an let someone else run it. This guy was 42!! Greed and being comfortable led to his downfall. I hate hearing stories like this...Sad..Nobody should be persecuted like this over a plant.

OP
 

igrowone

Well-known member
Veteran
maybe greed, but a strange kind of greed
buckets of money gathering dust? that sounds more like hoarding
and going to be very interesting court proceedings, may not be the slam dunk they're hoping for
 

m314

Active member
ICMag Donor
Veteran
I would have taken the cash and walked away a long time ago. That kind of money is more than enough to retire. Or start an operation in a legal state if he wants to keep growing.

He took stupid risks, but I still feel bad for him.
 

MJPassion

Observer
ICMag Donor
Veteran
I have a hard time feeling bad for the guy. If he wasn't in it for the money, why not give it to people who need it. He didn't so that says to me it was greed. 24 million wasn't enough for this guy. Nice payday for the police and a long time in prison is where his greed got him.

Could have had an island for cripes sake, nope need more money, more more more....mine, mine ,mine

^^THIS!^^
 

Itsmychoice

Well-known member
ICMag Donor
I bet he was getting ready for the November vote

I bet he was getting ready for the November vote

If you want in on the legal end early in the southern states cash will be of upmost importance and I bet he knew it. Too bad he didn't have it hidden somewhere good but I bet he is smarter than to have it all in one place.
 

oldchuck

Active member
Veteran
so basically they arrested the guy for supporting marijuana growing? oh boy. they still on that conspiracy shit eh? well good thing we don't get paid for our advices or else they would be coming after all of us too eh?

What makes you think they are not?
 
N

noyd666

looks ok.
picture.php
 

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