Voorne aan Zee warns of fake letters offering two cannabis joints and €124.95 voucher
The municipality of Voorne aan Zee warned residents Friday about fake letters circulating in Hellevoetsluis promising compensation for odor complaints linked to a local cannabis cultivation project, Rijnmond reports. The letters offered two pre-rolled cannabis joints and a 124.95 euros voucher for hotels and wellness services, accessed via a QR code, the municipality said.
“It will not have escaped your attention that the ‘closed coffeeshop chain’ project is accompanied by odor nuisance in the neighborhood,” the letter claimed. “We deeply regret this and want to offer compensation for the upcoming week, during which we expect a peak in nuisance.”
The municipality clarified that the letters are fraudulent. “Do not scan the QR code and throw the letter away,” officials said, warning residents against interacting with the correspondence.
The fake letters exploit an ongoing problem in Hellevoetsluis. Since the opening of a legal cannabis grower in fall 2023, neighbors have consistently filed complaints about persistent odor.
In March, the municipality set environmental rules restricting how much odor the company CanAdelaar could produce, with fines up to 3.5 million euros for violations. A court ruling on September 10 sided with the municipality, obliging CanAdelaar to comply with the odor limits.
