Greek police destroy more than 8,000 illegal cannabis plants in corn farm

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ATHENS (Reuters) – Greek police have destroyed more than 8,300 illegally cultivated cannabis plants found in a corn farm in central Greece, one of the biggest amounts of cannibis plants found in the country.

Authorities uprooted about 1,300 of the plants, police officials said on Friday, and destroyed another 7,000 plants, some up to 3.5 metres (138 inches) tall, due to their size and as their roots were entangled with corn.

A 44-year old farm owner was arrested on charges related to illegal cannabis cultivation and drug trafficking as part of a criminal group, one of the officials said.

Authorities estimated, based on the number of plants, that the group aimed at make an illegal profit of 15 million euros.

Greece legalised cannabis for medical use in 2017 and a year later it lifted a ban on growing and producing it. Possessing, producing and selling cannabis for recreational purposes remains illegal.

Cannabis is the most commonly consumed illicit drug in the world and most of the herbal cannabis detected in the EU appears to be cultivated locally, in the 27-member bloc, according to the European Union Drugs Agency.

Police operations in the Western Balkan region in recent years have led to a sharp decrease of herbal cannabis seizures.