If you're going to use part of your place of residence as a make-shift marijuana grow house, South Beach probably isn't the best neighborhood to do it. For one thing, rent is expensive. Sure maybe your "side business" helps off set that, but you're also dealing with thin walls, small spaces, close neighbors, thick cop patrols and few places to keep things out of sight to visitors who walk in the front door. At the very least, don't be stupid. You might wind up like Caio Minniti and Wendy Winder.
Police responded the couple's apartment at 1535 Lenox Avenue on Saturday after they got reports of screaming match. See, that's where those thin walls will get you.
When talking to Minniti, 36, and Widner, 32, the police smelled a strong stench of marijuana. Widner agreed to let them into the apartment. That's when police immediately found the couple's grow house operation.
Nine plants, all about four feet tall, were found growing in a black tent. Police also found a heat lamp, fans, fertilizer and an exhaust system. Five younger plants were found inside a closet.
As if that wasn't evidence enough, Minniti's computer, which was in the cops clear view, was open to web page devoted to marijuana. Books detailing how to care and grow for Marijuana were also out in the open.
Unfortunately for the couple, none of those books apparently gave lessons on how not to get caught.
[CBS4: Illegal Pot Growing Operation Found In SOBE Apt.]
