Spanish authorities have closed down a giant marijuana factory in the municipality of Molina de Segura, north of the city of Murcia. The local news site visir.is reports that Spanish police have arrested four Icelanders in connection to the case, including one of the masterminds behind the operation, a 58-year-old Icelander.
One of the most advanced marijuana factories in Europe
According to Spanish media, the operation in question was one of the largest and most advanced in Europe. Six thousand marijuana plants were confiscated at the scene, but police estimates that the monthly capacity of the factory was ten tons of finished product, with a retail value estimated at 210 million EUR (240 million USD). The finished product was exported to the Netherlands.
Read more: Drug manufacturing a growth industry in Iceland, cannabis all domestically manufactured
The factory, which included a giant greenhouse hidden inside an abandoned warehouse, came after neighbours complained over fluctuations in their electrical current. It was then discovered someone had illegally hooked the warehouse up to the electrical system.
An Icelandic ringleader, state of the art equipment
Eight men were arrested at the scene, including four Icelanders. The property where the factory was located was a 58-year-old Icelander who is also suspected of being one of the ring-leaders. Two other Icelanders were arrested as they were fleeing the scene by car. A fourth Icelander was arrested at the airport in Alicante, where he was boarding a plane to escape to Iceland. Seven Dutch nationals have also been arrested.
Read more: Do Icelanders really smoke more cannabis than anyone else?
The factory was highly sophisticated. It was equipped with state of the art equipment, which is estimated to have been worth at least 1 million EUR. According to Spanish media, the operation is one of the most advanced ever discovered in Spain. The Icelandic National Broadcasting Service reports that the set-up would have required the advice and involvement of a number of people with expert knowledge of agriculture.
Spanish authorities have closed down a giant marijuana factory in the municipality of Molina de Segura, north of the city of Murcia. The local news site visir.is reports that Spanish police have arrested four Icelanders in connection to the case, including one of the masterminds behind the operation, a 58-year-old Icelander.
One of the most advanced marijuana factories in Europe
According to Spanish media, the operation in question was one of the largest and most advanced in Europe. Six thousand marijuana plants were confiscated at the scene, but police estimates that the monthly capacity of the factory was ten tons of finished product, with a retail value estimated at 210 million EUR (240 million USD). The finished product was exported to the Netherlands.
Read more: Drug manufacturing a growth industry in Iceland, cannabis all domestically manufactured
The factory, which included a giant greenhouse hidden inside an abandoned warehouse, came after neighbours complained over fluctuations in their electrical current. It was then discovered someone had illegally hooked the warehouse up to the electrical system.
An Icelandic ringleader, state of the art equipment
Eight men were arrested at the scene, including four Icelanders. The property where the factory was located was a 58-year-old Icelander who is also suspected of being one of the ring-leaders. Two other Icelanders were arrested as they were fleeing the scene by car. A fourth Icelander was arrested at the airport in Alicante, where he was boarding a plane to escape to Iceland. Seven Dutch nationals have also been arrested.
Read more: Do Icelanders really smoke more cannabis than anyone else?
The factory was highly sophisticated. It was equipped with state of the art equipment, which is estimated to have been worth at least 1 million EUR. According to Spanish media, the operation is one of the most advanced ever discovered in Spain. The Icelandic National Broadcasting Service reports that the set-up would have required the advice and involvement of a number of people with expert knowledge of agriculture.
