According to the Dutch public prosecution department organised crime gangs running professional, largescale cannabis cultivations will face major crackdowns.
The annual turnover of the Dutch cannabis industry is estimated to be between 2,5 and 5 billion euros.
Some 8 000 professional cannabis plantations are found every year in private homes, commercial properties and farm houses. In September this year police in the southern province of Limburg dismantled seven large and 87 smaller plantations hidden in corn fields. The largest plantation had 15 000 plants.
Dutch police estimate that at the moment there are between 30 000 and 40 000 cannabis plantations in the country. Between 80 and 90 per cent is for export, according to official estimates.
The large scale cultivation is actually mentioned as a national threat in the 2008 National Threat Assessment (National Dreigingsbeeld georganiseerde misdaad 2008).
Further reading:
Georganiseerde misdaad achter hennepteelt niet langer onaantastbaar
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