The Guardia Civil has dismantled a criminal group dedicated to the cultivation, production, sale and distribution of CBD products derived from hemp plantations for non-industrial use without the corresponding authorisation from the Spanish Agency for Medicines and Health Products (AEMPS).
The agents terminate the operation in which 107,738 cannabis plants, 10,300 cannabis plant cuttings, 498.95 kilograms of cannabis stings, 908.95 kilograms of cannabis buds, 620 grams of hashish have been involved, along with 2,779 CBD products and 1,447 packages of buds ready for sale.
It has been during one of the frequent inspections carried out by the Guardia Civil to control the cultivation of industrial hemp, when the agents have located in the municipality of El Ejido (Almería), a cannabis cultivation farm whose production is not intended for industrial purposes.
The cultivation of hemp is allowed either if it is intended exclusively for industrial purposes, that is, those whose destination is the production of fibre or seeds, or if it has express authorisation from the Spanish Agency for Medicines and Health Products (AEMPS) is intended for scientific, medical or research purposes.
After the initial phase of the operation in which two people were arrested and 64,100 cannabis plants were seized on a winter farm in the town of El Ejido (Almería), the agents continue the operation, determining that there is a relationship with a cannabis distribution company of CBD products based in Barcelona. This company uses an online store for the wholesale and retail sale of buds and other CBD products.
In the development of the investigation, the Guardia Civil finds links between the online store and four cannabis plantations, as well as with an industrial warehouse in the province of Córdoba, where various machinery is also intervened for the treatment of the buds and the obtaining of resin.
After the inspections carried out, the investigators dismantled a room specially equipped for the production of cannabis cuttings, which made it difficult to trace the plants and control the plantations.
As a result of the operation, five people have been arrested for the crimes of cannabis cultivation and processing and a total of 107,738 cannabis plants and other products have been seized, in 11 entries and searches in the provinces of Almería, Córdoba and Barcelona.
The proceedings instructed together with the detainees are made available to the Investigating Court No. 1 of El Ejido (Almería).
