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Police: Couple in their 70s ran marijuana grow operation in East Orange County

ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. — Authorities said they arrested a couple in their 70s accused of running a marijuana grow house out of their home in a quiet East Orange County neighborhood.

Carmelina Garcia, 75, and Omar Hernandez, 71, have been married for 52 years, and the home they shared with their two pet Chihuahuas was churning out a lot of pot, authorities said.

Investigators said the couple was running a sophisticated marijuana grow operation with all the lights and equipment to produce large amounts of pot.

During the bust, investigators pulled planters out of the house and told Channel 9 the marijuana plants were 5 feet high. Several cellphones, extra SIM cards and ledgers were also confiscated.

In all, investigators said they found $130,000 worth of high-grade marijuana in the home.

Investigators said a utility theft investigation led them to the home.

Garcia and Hernandez are facing charges of cultivating and trafficking marijuana.