Japanese police arrested two Vietnamese men for renovating a house to illegally grow marijuana.

Cannabis grown in a renovated house. Photo: Sankei.

Two unemployed Vietnamese men, aged 40 and 44, were arrested by police in Hyogo prefecture, southern Japan, on December 7. They were living in Kakogawa city and Nishinomiya city, respectively, Sankei reported.

According to police, the two men installed lighting and ventilation systems in their homes to speed up the growth of the plants. Police seized 279 marijuana plants and 100 grams of dried marijuana in the two apartments, worth a total of 105 million yen (more than $850,000).

Two Vietnamese men admitted to growing marijuana illegally, saying they did so from September to October and were encouraged by friends. People living near the two houses reported strange noises to the police. The police began investigating in October.

Both houses were rented under different names. Hyogo Police believe there are other suspects involved in the case and are investigating.

According to VNE