Police in France have carried out a successful operation, seizing thousands of cannabis plants in an Alpine raid. The operation, which lasted eight months, led to the discovery of a vast indoor cultivation warehouse near Grenoble in the French Alps. The warehouse was being operated by a group of French and Albanian nationals.
Authorities estimate that around 4,000 cannabis plants, weighing approximately 1,100 kilos, were confiscated during the raid. The value of the seized drugs is estimated to be worth around €10-15mn in the resale market. The warehouse consisted of two large complexes, spanning a total of 675 square meters.
The investigation leading up to the raid began in October 2022 when police received information about a potential indoor cannabis cultivation site. Further inquiries revealed a large-scale trafficking operation involving an Albanian team working in collaboration with residents of Grenoble.
On July 3, law enforcement conducted a coordinated operation resulting in the arrest of six individuals. Among those detained were four Albanian nationals aged between 18 and 35, a 52-year-old accomplice from Grenoble, and the 55-year-old owner of the warehouse. All six suspects were subsequently imprisoned.
Inside the warehouse, authorities discovered a sophisticated setup equipped with electrical, ventilation, hydration, UV, and drying systems. In the first complex, measuring 375 square meters, more than 1,550 cannabis plants weighing 508 kilograms were found. The second complex, covering 300 square meters, contained an additional 2,500 plants weighing 693 kilograms. All of the seized plants and equipment were destroyed on-site with the authorization of the public prosecutor's office.
Two Albanian "farm workers" have already been sentenced to 7 and 10 months imprisonment, with immediate imprisonment and a 5-year ban from France. The remaining four suspects were presented before the court on July 7 and have been remanded in custody until their sentencing, scheduled for August 9.
This seizure follows a significant drug bust in the UK, where authorities recently confiscated 182,000 cannabis plants valued at an estimated €134mn to €150mn. Over 450 individuals have been charged in connection with the operation, making it the largest national drug operation in UK law enforcement history.
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