Kannabis-sakene refers to the series of criminal cases where illegal cannabis plantations were discovered in Norway in 2007 and 2008. The case was eventually one of Norway's largest narcotics cases.[1]

Background

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In November 2007, firefighters responding to a call stumbled upon a large cannabis farm in Enger in Søndre Land, Oppland. Thus began the investigation of what was later assessed as a large drug network for the cannabis production.[2]

Investigation

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Anders said in a press release in February 2008 that the agency "has a national responsibility for investigating drug related crimes, and has since the end of January become involved with investigating the cannabis plantation cases. – We're looking at what connections there are there between for firms and enterprises among the different cases, the connections for firms and enterprises that are abroad, and on the ringleaders and the network behind it, according to the head of the tactical department for investigation Anders Atle Roll-Matthiesen. A 5 March preliminary meeting was held between the involved police districts and National Criminal Investigation Service (Kripos) to discuss whether the investigation should be centralized.[1]

The Norwegian security agency Kripos stated that the cases and plantations could probably be connected to the ringleaders abroad. There are commonalities related to both: ties to the Vietnamese-Norwegian community, and the common way in which the plantations are built and supplied with electricity.[3] Both the equipment and the methods that were used in the system, and theft of electricity, the properties have similarities in many cases throughout the country.[4]

The Norwegian police stated that they believe that the case has links to other countries, and mentioned England, the Netherlands and Canada as well as Norway's neighboring countries, Sweden and Denmark. Danish police attended a coordination meeting at Kripos in Oslo on 5 March.[5]

Cases

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The table below is an overview of the findings associated with the case. As of April 2008, not all the cases had been compiled.

Offentlig kjent/

oppdaget
Place County Arrested
27 June 2007 Nittedal Akershus ? Cannabis plantation
3 October 2007 Oslo Oslo ? Cannabis plantation
18 November 2007 Søndre Land (Enger) Oppland Cannabis plantation
27 November 2007 Drammen (Svelvik) Buskerud ? Cannabis plantation
7 December 2007 Sarpsborg Østfold 1 Cannabis plantation
12 December 2007 Rygge (Halmstad) Østfold 2 Cannabis plantation
13 December 2007 Sarpsborg Østfold 1 Cannabis-plantasje
28 December 2007 Drammen (Kobbervikdalen) Buskerud 1–2 Cannabis plantation
31 December 2007 Askim Østfold Recipes, cannabis leftovers and flower pots
14 January 2008 Hurum (Sætre) Buskerud 1 Cannabis plantation
24 January 2008 Sarpsborg Østfold 1 Cannabis plantation
25 January 2008 Nes (Skogsbygda) Akershus Cannabis plantation
27 January 2008 Horten Vestfold ? Cannabis plantation
28 January 2008 Nes (Greniskogen)[6] Akershus 1 Cannabis plantation
6 February 2008 Fredrikstad (Rolvsøy) Østfold Cannabis plantation (vacated with withered plants)
8 February 2008 Skarnes Hedmark 3 Cannabis plantation
13 February 2008 Roverud Hedmark Cannabis plantation
14 February 2008 Fredrikstad (Kråkerøy)[7] Østfold 1 Cannabis plantation
14 February 2008 Nome[8] Telemark 1 Cannabis plantation
15 February 2008 Lillehammer Oppland 2–3 Cannabis plantation
17 February 2008 Kongsberg Buskerud 1 Cannabis plantation
20 February 2008 Feiring Akershus 2 Cannabis plantation
21 February 2008 Gran Oppland Cannabis plantation
21 February 2008 Åsnes i Solør Hedmark 2 Cannabis plantation, pots not plants
24 February 2008 Øvre Eiker[1] Buskerud 2 Cannabis plantation
25 February 2008 Ski Akershus 50 cannabis potted plants dumped on a forest path
26 February 2008 Tønsberg og Horten Vestfold 10 4 different cannabis plantations revealed
26 February 2008 Rollag Buskerud 1 Cannabis plantation
27 February 2008 Enebakk (Flatby) Akershus 5 Cannabis plantation
29 February 2008 Marker. Østfold 1 Cannabis plantation
29 February 2008 Rømskog Østfold 1 Production equipment
29 February 2008 Enebakk (Kirkebygda)[9] Akershus 1 Cannabis plantation
4 March 2008 Nes Akershus Cannabis plantation
20 March 2008 Hønefoss Buskerud 2 Cannabis plantation
28 March 2008 Fet (Gan) Akershus 2 Cannabis plantation
30 March 2008 Sandefjord Vestfold Cannabis plantation
6 April 2008 Oslo (Økernveien) Oslo ? Cannabis plantation
8 April 2008 Nordre Land (Nordsinni) Oppland 1 Cannabis plantation
22 April 2008 Lunner Oppland 2 Cannabis plantation
23 April 2008 Oslo (Trondheimsveien) Oslo Cannabis plantation
21 June 2008 Finnøy (Kyrkjøy)[10] Rogaland Outdoor Cannabis Plantation
2 July 2008 Finnøy (Kyrkjøy)[11] Rogaland Cannabis plantation in residential buildings

Charges and prosecution

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By March 2008, 80 persons suspected of crimes had been charged in the case for the cultivation of the narcotic plant, and over 40 of them remanded.[5][12] Nine different police districts: (Follo, Gudbrandsdal, Hedmark, Oslo, Romerike, Søndre Buskerud, Vestfold, Vestoppland and Østfold) and Anders were cooperating in the case.[13]

On 3 April, it became known that the police suspected the owner of a chain of stores, believing that he had ties with the many cannabis farms that had been discovered. He was arrested together with four other people, when the police uncovered 500 cannabis plants on a farm he owned in Enebakk in February. Furthermore, his phone number was found in the contacts of several other indicted in connection with the other cannabis findings in other locations, though the suspect denied the charges.[14]

References

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