Police raid marijuana stash house

Brownsville police seized more than $125,000 in marijuana and arrested one man during a stash house raid.

Jacobo Chapa, 56, was arrested Friday afternoon outside his residence on Billy Mitchell Boulevard, and later charged with one count of possession of 447.91 pounds of marijuana in a drug free zone and one count of possession of a 80.3 ounces of crack cocaine in a drug free zone, said police spokesman Sgt. Jimmy Manrrique.

On Saturday morning, Chapa an unemployed man from Valle Hermoso Tamaulipas, went before a municipal judge who set his bond at a total of $65,000. He bonded out that afternoon, Manrrique said.

The seizure took place when police narcotics agents received information that large amounts of drugs were stored at Chapa’s house and arrived the at approximately 10:30 a.m. to confront him.

"He exercised his right for them not to come into his home without a warrant," Manrrique said.

At that point, police detained Chapa outside of his home until other police officers were able to get a court issued search warrant.

"The investigation allowed agents to get enough probable cause for the arrest warrant and search his home without his permission," the spokesman said.

Inside the house, officers found the bundled marijuana and the cocaine distributed into 12 small bags, he said.

Chapa told police he was offered money to use his residence as a stash house and needing money he agreed to it, police said.

The street value of the marijuana is $125, 440, while the street value of the crack cocaine is $5,320.