Drug-dealing mother jailed after police find huge marijuana plant used as Christmas tree in her home

A Chilean mother-of-two has been jailed after police found a large marijuana plant which she had used as a Christmas tree.

Angelica Navarro Pereira, 50, had boasted that she had 'the best tree in the world'.

But when police raided her home in San Bernardo, southern Chile, they found a huge marijuana plant, surrounded by presents, which she had been using as a festive decoration.

They also found two home-made shotguns, £2,500 in cash, 21 five-foot cannabis plants, and 29 bags of hash.

Renato Quinonez Alfaro, a neighbour who has known Pereira for years said: ‘When I spoke to her yesterday she said her children were going to really enjoy Christmas this year and that she had the best tree in the world.

‘She didn’t invite me to see it though, and thinking about it I don’t remember seeing her taking one in. Now I know why.’

While police had suspected her of trafficking before the raid, the makeshift tree came as quite a shock.

A spokesman said: ‘We expected to find some drugs, but the last thing we expected to see was one of the plants being used as a Christmas tree.

'The place was full of drugs. We had been investigating this woman for over a month.'

Pereira has since been sentenced to 70 days in jail.