Police burn more than 38,000 marijuana plants found in Talamanca

This might be one of those times when you do want to stand downwind.

Costa Rica’s National Police and other law enforcement agencies discovered and burned 38,500 marijuana plants ready for harvest in a forest near Alto Bley in Talamanca, Limón, on Thursday.

Police discovered the plantation thanks to an anonymous tip, according to a statement released Friday. Official remarks noted that the area is known to be patrolled by heavily armed gangs who protect and cultivate the pot plants.

Talamana is no stranger to marijuana cultivation. In June 2012, law enforcement destroyed over 562,000 marijuana plants in the mountainous Caribbean region.

Drug Control Police confiscated over 1.1 million marijuana plants between 2012 and 2013, according to a December 2013 report from the Public Security Ministry.

A police officer burning marijuana from a plantation discovered in Talamanca, Limón, on Thursday, June 12, 2014. Courtesy Public Security Ministry