Police raid 55 grow shops after drug law changes

The police raided 55 grow shops this past month after the legislation change that criminalizes the preparatory acts for cannabis cultivation, AD reports. The police will continue to tackle those who trade in materials used for cannabis cultivation in the coming months.

The new section 11a of the Opium Act enables the Public Prosecutor to intervene before cannabis is actually being cultivated. It is now illegal to deliberately deliver ventilation systems, carbon filters, growing lamps and electric installations, among other things, for illicit cannabis cultivation. Those who violate this law can face up to 3 years in prison.

Most of the recent raids took place in Brabant and Zeeland. The police seized cultivation material in 10 growshops. The police seized truckloads of cultivation equipment on some premises. The grow shop owners that only had a small amount of cultivation material, were let go with a warning. Four grow shop owners were arrested.