The Spanish Civil Guard seized the largest haul of cannabis ever reportedly found over a series of drug raids across the country, according to police.
“The Civil Guard has seized the largest cache of packaged marijuana found so far,” the Spanish Civil Guard said in a press release in Spanish. “The Jardines operation has concluded with the seizure of 32,370.2 kilograms of marijuana buds, the largest seizure of this substance, not only in Spain, but also internationally.”
Police said twenty individuals were detained, all of which were part of a larger organization that controlled drug production and distribution. The organization is said to have offices in Toledo, Ciudad Real, Valencia and Asturias.
The organization transported the vacuum-packed drug throughout Spain and to other European countries, including Switzerland, Holland, Germany and Belgium.
The press release stated the investigation first began when the Civil Guard began to inspect several industrial hemp plantations in Villacañas (Toledo). The main individuals involved in the investigation owned a company through which they acquired the hemp seeds, while a second entity transported and planted them, according to the press release.
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Agents later discovered 37,000 plants distributed across four greenhouses during a second inspection in October in Almagro (Ciudad Real). Three individuals at the scene were arrested. The Civil Guard also found four tons of stored cannabis aboard a ship en route to two warehouses in Valencia.
The Civil Guard attained “30,530 kilos of buds, 20 kilos of pollen – all vacuum packed — 21,600 plants in the process of drying and 231,200 packs of marijuana buds” in the final province. Police reported having come across documentation that confirmed the ongoings of other plantations also involved in cannabis production.
Fox News Digital reached out to the Spanish Civil Guard for additional comment but did not hear back in time for publication.
