A cannabis plantation of 1,532 bushes was liquidated in Messinia: two were detained, the profit was estimated at €2.29 million

Large cannabis plantation liquidated by police in a remote forest area near the village of Dendroulia in the municipality of Pylos Nestor in Messinia.

According to the Greek police, 1,532 cannabis bushes up to 2.2 meters high were grown on the site. During the operation, two foreigners were detained, another alleged participant has been identified and is being sought. As Greek media report, citing ELAS materials, possible illegal profits from this activity could range from 1.53 to 2.295 million euros. ProtoThema, Tempo24

The operation was carried out by the Anti-Narcotics Department of Patras with the support of special forces. According to investigators, we are not talking about a random “forest bed,” but about an organized infrastructure created for the long-term cultivation and protection of a large volume of plants.

The plantation was set up as a full-fledged base

According to the investigation, the plantation occupied a specially prepared site, divided into seven levels. Watering was provided by a network of hoses with a total length of about six kilometers – both above-ground and underground. Water was supplied through a stone container of approximately five tons, disguised with film.

Two makeshift shelters were also found at the site, inside of which there were a total of five tents, sleeping bags, bedding, clothing and an equipped cooking area with gas cylinders, utensils and food supplies. In other words, it was no longer just a plantation, but actually a field camp for permanent residence and maintenance of the “harvest.” Pelop.gr

What did the police seize?

During the operation, police uprooted and seized all 1,532 cannabis bushes. In addition, 66 grams of unprocessed cannabis, mobile phones, agricultural tools, fertilizers, plant protection products and all the equipment necessary for growing and caring for crops were found.

The investigation estimates the possible volume of finished products at at least 766 kilograms of cannabis. It is on the basis of this assessment that the estimated profit is calculated – from €1.53 million to €2.295 million, depending on the channel and price of possible sales. Tempo24

What are the charges?

A case has been formed against the detainees under articles of participation in a criminal organization and drug-related crimes. The materials will be transferred to the prosecutor of first instance of Kalamata.

It is important to take into account that at this stage we are talking about the preliminary investigation materials and the police version. The guilt of the detainees, as well as the role of the third identified defendant, must be confirmed in court.

Why are such cases especially significant?

Plantations like this show how organized this type of criminal business has become. The further the site is hidden in the forest and the better the water, accommodation and camouflage there, the more obvious it is that we are not talking about a one-time adventure, but about a structure with logistics, security and the expectation of serious income.

Seven levels of plantings, kilometers of irrigation hoses and a camp for “farmers” in the depths of the forest – this is no longer a story about two people with a hoe, but about a well-organized underground production. For the region, such operations are important not only as a fight against drugs, but also as a signal that forested areas and remote areas are increasingly being used for organized illegal activity.

Sources: ProtoThema, Tempo24, Pelop.gr. The information relates to the preliminary investigation stage and may be updated.

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