Public force officers responding to a 911 call about a domestic dispute entered a home in Corazón de Jesús, in San José’s Hospital district, and saw a large quantity of suspected drugs on a table.[1][2] They alerted the public security ministry, and prosecutors assigned the case to the Drug Control Police (PCD), which guarded the house until a search warrant could be executed.[1][2]
On Thursday 10 September 2026 the PCD search confirmed a controlled-environment marijuana laboratory.[1] Officers detained three men surnamed Chávez, Abarca and Fallas and two women surnamed Araya and Muñoz; the ministry said most had previous drug possession records.[1][2]
They seized 53 plants between about 20 centimetres and 1.5 metres tall, 2.262 kg of buds, 1.205 kg of processed marijuana, 249 g of powder and 85 g of compacted powder, plus 35 bags of seeds and cultivation equipment including lamps, automated irrigation and climate controls.[1][2] The processed forms alone exceeded 3.8 kg, excluding the live plants.[1]
The five were taken to the San José First Judicial Circuit while prosecutors prepared custody requests.[1][2]
