Cannabis-sakene 2008

Kannabis-sakene (Norwegian) or The Cannabis Cases (English) 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

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

Investigation

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

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

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

Charges and prosecution

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 Municipality 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