Large Scale Cannabis Cultivation: the Case of the Netherlands Prof. dr. Toine Spapens

Drug regulation policy in the Netherlands Already in the 1960s, a solely repressive policy towards narcotic drugs was considered undesirable. A distinction between soft drugs (i.e. hashish and marihuana) and hard drugs (all other narcotic drugs) was introduced in 1976. “Coffee shops” that sold soft drugs emerged in the mid-1970s. In 1979, the public prosecution service decided to refrain from active investigation unless they put public safety or health at risk, or openly tried to promote and expand their business. Except for Amsterdam, coffee shops were small venues. A limited number of (organized) crime groups imported hashish and marihuana from abroad. Brussels 22-11-2018

Growing cannabis: an accessible type of crime… Extremely low treshold: anyone can start tomorrow, no criminal relations or previous experience required. Growshops will sell you (legal) growing material, cuttings, deliver advice and expertise. They will also buy your harvest and dispose of your waste. Or help you to contact the “right” people… Brussels 22-11-2018

The result: a ‘cannabis network’ Brussels 22-11-2018

The cannabis network (1) People growing a few plants for personal use (not part of the network) Small-scale independent growers (50 – 300 plants, private homes) Large-scale independent growers (1000+ plants, commercial premises) Operators of 5 – 10 cannabis nurseries, dependent growers, private homes Organized criminal groups running growshops, large-scale nurseries (5000+ plants), trafficking operations. Brussels 22-11-2018

The Cannabis Network (2) Crews cutting the buds of plants People who specialize in drying and packaging cannabis People who produce prefabricated joints People who construct cannabis nurseries Electricians who adapt the wiring Et cetera Brussels 22-11-2018

50.000 plants, 1250+ kilos of cannabis, €3.75 million wholesale Titelpresentatie in Footer 22-11-2018

Why large-scale cannabis cultivation? Coffeeshops: it is easier to buy than to grow your own supply. Export: drug tourism as well as ‘kilo shipments’ Cannabis export is intertwined with the trafficking of other narcotic drugs: Hashish (imported from Morocco) XTC and Amphetamines (indigenously manufactured) Cocaine (imported from South America) Heroin (imported via Turkey) Brussels 22-11-2018

Export as a driver (1) Increase of drug tourism Example: Coffee shop Checkpoint (Terneuzen) 2500 – 3000 Belgian customers per day Maximum 5 grams of hashish/marihuana per customer Cannabis Cultivation 22-11-2018

Export as a driver (2) Emergence of drug dealing houses Selling amounts of hashish and marihuana above 5 gram Selling assorted hard drugs Estimated 150 in one border area alone (South Limburg) Cannabis cultivation 22-11-2018

Export as a driver (3) “Kilo shipments” to other countries on the continent Weekly shipments to small dealers Delivered by couriers Larger shipments to the UK and Ireland (traditional trafficking) Titelpresentatie in Footer 22-11-2018

Conclusion Large scale cannabis cultivation is not a drug problem, it is a market problem. There is no point in growing/manufacturing/importing large quantities if you cannot sell the product… The only solution is a systematic reduction of the outlets of Dutch criminals for different types of narcotic drugs Let the Belgians, British, French, Germans, Scandinavians, and so on, produce or import their own supply! Brussels 22-11-2018