Gangs lure teens to harvest weed

Justice in Limburg suspects that criminal organizations in the south of the Netherlands make teenagers between the ages of 14 and 17 years work in cannabis plantations, De Telegraaf reports. 

These children are allegedly recruited from secondary schools and are paid to cut weed tops. "We have received serous signals that minors are involved in sch practices and take this very seriously." Cindy Reijnders, spokesperson for the Public Prosecutor, told the newspaper. Justice is investigating whether this really is the case.

According to insiders, drug lords are making use of teenagers to work in cannabis plantations in  Maastricht and Heerlen. One of the schools from which these kids are recruited is allegedly Emma College in Heerlen.

CDA Parliamentarians Raynond Knops and Peter Oskam are shocked by these suspicions and have demanded that Minister Stef Blok of Security and Justice get to the bottom of this. "The fact that children and young adults are drawn into crime in this way is very shocking. This is a vulnerable group, the problem needs to be addressed."