POLICE thwarted drug-pedalling marijuana growers after a plantation was spotted during the Tour of Spain bike race.
As riders roll around the Iberian country for three weeks, a different kind of rolling was prevented — but only after a plantation was spotted by a broadcast TV helicopter.
Three days after the stage was won by Germany's Nikias Arndt won the stage to Igualada, police in Catalonia were able to confiscate 40 marijuana plants from a rooftop in Lleida.
Cycling has had its fair share of dopers in the past like Lance Armstrong, but this was a totally different drugs bust associated with the sport — which has largely cleaned up its act.
In an appropriate twist, the race was being led by Ireland's Nicolas Roche last week until he lost the red jersey on stage four.
On stage eight it was Miguel Angel Lopez who lost the leader's jersey, as the Colombian lost the race lead to Frenchman Nicolas Edet.
According to Catalonia newspaper ARA, officers were already watching out for any evidence of suspected illegal growing and kept a keen eye on the property.
Over a dozen marijuana plants can be seen in two different sections of a rooftop.
Neighbours had already warned cops that there was suspicious behaviour from the occupants of the flat, who had emptied the property of all furniture and left it in the street.
However, suspects have not been identified and no arrests have been made.
Whether or not the occupants can even be arrested is ambiguous because in Spanish law there is no law against growing for self use.
However, the occupants could face a £27,000 fine because the plants were visible to the public.
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