Niles police arrested a man and charged him with felonies under Illinois law for growing 40 pounds of cannabis and possessing 20 to 50 cannabis plants, which they found in his garage, and other offenses, according to the police department.
After receiving information about possible drug activity at a residence in the 8600
block of North Ozark Avenue, police said they began an investigation and obtained a search warrant on April 23. The search revealed a cannabis grow operation in a garage, and police detectives and investigators recovered approximately
40 pounds of raw cannabis and the supplies used to grow it, according to a department news release.
Police said they took an adult man and woman into custody and later released the woman.
The man, Rakan F. Kunda, 33, appeared at a pre-trial detention hearing April 24 before Cook County Circuit Court Judge Anthony Calabrese at the Skokie courthouse.
Kunda was charged with:
- Manufacture/delivery of more than 5,000 grams of cannabis, a Class X felony
- Possession of more than 5,000 grams of cannabis, a Class 1 felony
- Production of 20-50 cannabis plants, a Class 3 felony
- Manufacture/delivery of cannabis within 1,000 feet of a school, a Class 1 felony
The judge did not detain Kunda in custody, but ordered him to appear virtually at his next hearing May 30 at 1:30 p.m. Judge Calabrese also dismissed the count of manufacture and/or delivery of cannabis within 1,000 feet of a school.
An arrest does not constitute a conviction.
