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Cannabis raid in the Harz: Suspected drug lord caught!
The police discovered a cannabis plantation with 900 plants in the Harz Mountains. Investigations lead to further arrests in Lower Saxony.
Cannabis raid in the Harz: Suspected drug lord caught!
A discovery is causing a stir in Bad Harzburg: at the end of March 2025, the police found a cannabis plantation in an empty restaurant in a dilapidated hotel. During this investigation, approximately 900 ready-to-harvest plants were seized, although authorities had originally estimated there were up to 1,200 plants. Men working on this plantation have now become the focus of investigations not only for raising drugs, but also for selling drugs. A 21-year-old man was arrested as the suspected head of a gang that specializes in cannabis plantations in Lower Saxony and Saxony-Anhalt. Investigations by the police and public prosecutor's office have now led to another plantation in Saxony-Anhalt.
The situation in Bad Harzburg was part of a larger raid that spanned several federal states. Special police forces searched buildings in Lower Saxony and North Rhine-Westphalia, which led to further arrests. A total of six suspects were arrested in this connection; all have confessed and received suspended sentences. It appears that drug trafficking and illegal cannabis production in this region have reached levels that are difficult to control.
The background of the cannabis market in Germany
The increase in such plantations and drug-related crime must be viewed against the backdrop of changing drug policy in Germany. With the entry into force of the Cannabis Consumption Act On April 1, 2024, the federal government legalized the consumption and possession of small amounts of cannabis. This liberalization was intended to curb the black market and has so far led to a rapid increase in cannabis consumers. According to estimates, around 4.5 million people in Germany consume cannabis, with young adults between the ages of 18 and 25 being particularly popular.
The market for medical cannabis, which has been growing since its release in March 2017, could have a promising future. Although sales have grown slower than expected so far, there are hopes for a multi-billion dollar market through the legalization of recreational cannabis. Loud Investigations In the Goslar region, the authorities discovered other plantations through the convictions of two men who were employed on the plantation.
The developments surrounding the cannabis plantation in Bad Harzburg clearly show that the police are increasingly taking action against drug crime, but also how the illegal market is still active and profitable. It remains to be seen how the authorities will deal with the increasing drug cultivation and the associated challenges.