A new report claims Spain is not just the number one importer of hash but also the number one producer of cannabis
The Cordoba operation goes along with similar police actions in Almería, where police uncovered 503 illegal electricity hookups linked to indoor cannabis plantations.
Similarly in Berja, following an investigation that resulted in two tonnes of cannabis being seized and 244 inspections carried out across 31 provinces.
The southern provinces of Granada and Almería are known to be targeted by cannabis gangs, especially indoor growing.
Police have already cut off over 500 illegal electricity hookups in Almeria, while in Granada there are drug clans set up in Atarfe, Pinos Puente and the northern area of ??the capital.
Authorities have even created special plans to help power companies identify and cut off grow sites in order to ensure residents have electricity in their own homes.
READ MORE: Five-tonne haul of hashish is seized on the Guadalquivir River – the new narco hotbed in southern Spain
And while many casual users feel that cannabis is one of the least harmful of the illegal narcotics, its illegal cultivation by organised crime groups has led to other disturbing outcomes.
A separate report from the Spanish Public Prosecutor’s Office notes that these operations often involve the exploitation of undocumented workers who often labour in conditions bordering on ‘human slavery.’
Albanian, Serbian, and Moroccan gangs have been pinpointed for their brutal methods, while the rural areas of Lleida and Tarragona in Catalunya are identified as a hotspot.
“The presence of foreign organised crime groups and large-scale marijuana plantations in these areas has created an environment where vulnerable individuals are trafficked and exploited for profit,” the report states.
Source link : https://www.theolivepress.es/spain-news/2024/10/11/new-mega-narco-bust-underlines-how-spain-has-become-the-number-one-producer-of-cannabis-in-europe/
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Publish date : 2024-10-11 17:00:00
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