NDR North German Broadcasting
Hamburg (ots)
Spain has become Germany’s main supplier of cannabis. According to the Federal Criminal Police Office (BKA), Spain has replaced Albania as the main country of origin for large-scale shipments of marijuana to Germany. “Professional cannabis cultivation by organized crime groups in Spain has increased significantly in recent years,” the BKA reported to the research format STRG_F (NDR/Funk). On-site research by STRG_F shows the consequences: In Andalusia in particular, rival drug gangs are fighting with the police. “More and more groups are entering the market,” a Guardia Civil drug investigator told STRG_F. This competition leads to an escalation of violence.
Soft drug, hard crime: Escalation of violence in the “weed” business
Even a drug dealer confirmed to STRG_F an increase in violence in the scene. Armed robberies between different criminal organizations are becoming more frequent. On the Costa del Sol alone, a stretch of coast near Málaga, the Spanish secret service counts 113 criminal organizations with 59 nationalities. “There are simply too many criminal organizations in such a small area” who all want to participate in the lucrative business, explains lawyer Ricardo Álvarez-Ossorio, who defends many big names in the mafia. The profit margins of hashish and marijuana attract groups that do not shy away from violence. According to the STRG_F research, the holiday paradise Costa del Sol in particular has become an international mafia stronghold in recent years. Spain not only offers good climatic conditions for marijuana cultivation, but is also in the immediate vicinity of Morocco, where most of the cannabis resin (hashish) is produced in the world.
Does legalization solve the problem? Investigators are skeptical
According to the Spanish Bureau of Statistics, the amount of marijuana confiscated in Spain has more than quadrupled in four years. In 2021 it was 139 tons of “grass”. In addition, more than 600 tons of hashish were confiscated.
The German federal government wants to legalize the use of cannabis and thus also fight the black market. In an interview with STRG_F, Spanish and German investigators express doubts that organized crime could be decisively weakened by legalization. Because with the low prices and high THC content of cannabis on the black market, a legally grown drug can hardly keep up. Even if criminal drug dealers had to accept a drop in profits as a result of legalization, their drug transport infrastructure would remain in place. “They won’t suddenly be looking for a normal job,” says a Spanish investigator. “The most likely thing is that they will then switch to other substances where they can make more money. Like coke or heroin, for example.”
Cannabis is the most commonly used drug in the world after alcohol and tobacco. The number of consumers worldwide has increased by 23 percent within ten years. While alcohol and tobacco consumption in Germany has fallen significantly over the years, cannabis consumption is also increasing in this country.
The research can be seen in the STRG_F film “Costa del Mal” from Thursday, May 18th in the ARD media library.
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Original content from: NDR Norddeutscher Rundfunk, transmitted by news aktuell
