Federal police and members of the armed forces converged on a property in the Jalisco municipality of Ixtlahuacan del Rio that they believe manufactured marijuana edibles (probably cookies), a rarity in Mexico.
Upon arrival, the heavily armed men, acting on an anonymous tip, found not an active factory, but a deserted collection of buildings and fields. Aside from scattered samples of the operation’s primary product and 25 kilos of weed, several ammunition cartridges, an armored vehicle and a grenade launcher were found.
The property was outfitted with four industrial ovens and a storage shed containing chemicals, cleaning equipment and work attire.
Authorities estimate that from four to six persons lived and worked on site, judging from the presence of several mattresses, clothing and personal items left behind.
Federal authorities will now try and determine the product’s destination. Thus far, major traffic in marijuana edibles is almost unheard of in Mexico.
Medical marijuana was legalized in Mexico earlier this year. The Ministry of Health is expected to draft a comprehensive regulatory document in the next few months. It remains to be seen whether laced cookies, brownies, rice crispy treats and the like will make the cut.