Catalonia, ‘the epicenter of Europe’s illegal marijuana market’

<p>Police raided 662 marijuana plantations in Catalonia in 2021, an average of two per day. This is almost twice as many raids as in 2020 and almost three times more than in 2016.</p> <p dir="ltr"><span>According to Joan Carles Granja, an officer in the Catalan Mossos d&rsquo;Esquadra police force, Catalonia&rsquo;s climate is ideal for growing weed. There are also many buildings that are still empty following the financial crisis that gangs have taken advantage of to set up shop in.&nbsp;</span></p> <p dir="ltr"><span>Spain is geographically strategic for drugs that are smuggled into Europe from Africa and the Americas. But when it comes to homegrown weed, Catalonia is a good place for farms as it is closer to the markets it will often end up exported to like France.&nbsp;</span></p> <p><span>&nbsp;</span></p> / ACN

ACN

February 26, 2022 12:11 AM