By Amanda Roberson
Tico Times Staff | aroberson@ticotimes.net

A U.S. citizen identified by the last name Da'Mina, 65, was arrested yesterday and accused of running a sophisticated greenhouse to cultivate hydroponic marijuana in the northwestern Guanacaste town of Tilarán, according to Judicial Investigation Police (OIJ) press chief Francisco Ruiz.

OIJ in Cañas, also in the Guanacaste province, had been investigating Da'Mina for several months, according to a statement from OIJ.

Upon entering his house yesterday, police discovered a laboratory well equipped for growing hydroponic marijuana.

The facility was divided into areas for planting seeds, growing marijuana plants, drying them and packing the dried leaves, Ruiz said. Several fans, tanks of water, insecticide, humidity meters and powerful lights were used to create a greenhouse for the plants, which were grown in flower pots and measured up to 1.5 meters.

“Only an ex-military man would think of this,” Ruiz said of the elaborate set-up.

Additionally, the house had two cables to receive electricity, one of which was connected to a meter monitored by the Costa Rican Electricity Institute (ICE) and another which illegally bypassed the meter, providing a source of free electricity, Ruiz said.

Police suspect these cables were altered to “not raise suspicions about the high consumption of electricity and to not pay an excessive amount for this service,” the statement said.

Police believe Da'Mina sold the marijuana to friends and tourists in beaches around Guanacaste, Ruiz said.

The equipment and marijuana found in the house were confiscated, and Da'Mina faces charges before the Public Security Ministry.

The 10 th Festival de la Luz, or Festival of Lights, parade will take to the streets of San José tomorrow night, and one million people are expected to fill the streets to take in the event's colorful floats, music and lights, according to the daily La Nación.

At 6 p.m., 11 floats will make their way along the parade's route from the National Gymnasium in La Sabana Park to the Plaza de la Democracia downtown.

Paseo Colón and Avenida Segunda will be closed to traffic beginning at 1 p.m. to prepare, the festival's coordinator José Arturo told La Nación. About 2,000 officials will be on hand throughout night, including National Police, Transit Police and Red Cross workers, he said.

The 11 companies and government institutions with floats in the parade, including the Costa Rican Tourism Institute (ICT), were busy putting finishing touches on them yesterday.

The ICT float, whose theme is the “natural beauty” of Costa Rica, features an array of wildlife including yellow frogs, whales, Morpho butterflies, crocodiles and sloths.

“This year, we wanted to emphasize our natural beauty that is admired in the world by all who come to visit,” said Tourism Minister Carlos Benavides.

A team of 25 people is working under artist Roy Rodríguez to finalize the ICT float, the statement said.

In years past, thousands of spectators of all ages have lined up and down Paseo Colón and Avenida 2 to watch the show. Officials expect this year will be no different

-Tico Times

Costa Rica yesterday congratulated newly appointed U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, from South Korea, in a statement released by the Foreign Ministry.

Foreign Minister Bruno Stagno expressed a “warmest welcome” to Ki-moon, who was sworn in yesterday to the post. Stagno also applauded the work of outgoing Secretary General Kofi Annan, who visited Costa Rica in 2002.

The South Korean leader has “ample experience in the workings of the organization, which assures the success of his mission,” Stagno said, according to the statement.

Ki-moon served as Foreign Minister of South Korea and in the United Nations as Cabinet head in 2001.