POLICE have discovered the largest marijuana plantation in Spain, in Vilassar de Mar in Barcelona.
The farm, comprising 35 hectares, had been in operation since 2018 and was discovered by the authorities on June 15.
A joint operation by the Guardia Civil and Policia Nacional arrested five people for the illegal production of narcotics and crimes against public health.
Over six tons of marijuana were seized.
The investigation began in March 2021 when police officers discovered a 32 hectares plot which purported to produce industrial hemp – a legal material made from the cannabis plant.
However, a criminal organisation was in fact producing marajuana on a massive scale and did not have permission from the Spanish Agency for Medicines and Health products to grow the plants.
Police said the suspects placed posters on the building that read ‘Industrial hemp cultivation’ along with logos of different public administrations in Cataluña to pretend they were engaged in a legal activity.
Police officers also seized 305 kilograms of marijuana pollen in the bust, making it one of the largest illegal cannabis operations in Spain’s history.
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