From 'Tourism Paradise' to 'Drug Paradise'... Spain "Seizes World's Largest Cannabis Haul"

Legalization of Cannabis Sales Between Individuals... Cannabis Clubs Flourish for Years
European Crime Groups Flood In, Leading to Power Struggles Among Organizations

In Spain, where the private sale of cannabis between individuals is legal, cannabis clubs have flourished for several years. Additionally, Spain legally permits individuals to cultivate cannabis in their personal gardens. The photo is not related to the specific content of the article. Photo by EPA Yonhap News

[Asia Economy Reporter Bang Je-il] Drugs have a powerful hallucinogenic effect and addictive properties, leading to a continuous demand among addicts. Accordingly, the price of drugs is beyond imagination. Currently, the price of 1g of gold worldwide is around $50 (about 70,000 KRW), but cocaine costs over $200 (about 280,000 KRW) per gram in the United States. In Saudi Arabia, part of the Arab world where drugs are strictly prohibited, the price reaches $533 (about 750,000 KRW) per gram. For criminal organizations supplying drugs, drugs are truly like a "goose that lays golden eggs."

Meanwhile, Spanish authorities have seized 32 tons of marijuana by capturing an organization that produced and distributed drugs. The Spanish police explained that the amount of marijuana secured in this operation is the largest not only in Spain but also worldwide.

According to reports from the BBC and others on the 5th (local time), the Spanish police arrested 20 people, including 9 men aged 20 to 59 and 11 women, who were involved in the production and sale of marijuana. They are suspected of cultivating marijuana in Toledo, Ciudad Real, Valencia, Asturias, and other areas, vacuum-packing it, and selling it. The marijuana they produced was found to have been distributed not only within Spain but also to Switzerland, the Netherlands, Germany, Belgium, and other countries.

The reason Spain, once known as "Europe's tourist paradise," has fallen into becoming a "marijuana syndicate" in Europe is due to the sharp decline in tourism revenue caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Spain's economy collapsed due to COVID-19, and as monthly rents became cheaper, European criminal organizations massively entered Spain and started marijuana-related businesses. They use legally operating "marijuana clubs" in Spain as bases to spread illegally cultivated marijuana throughout Europe.

In Spain, where personal marijuana transactions are legal, marijuana clubs have flourished for years. It is legally permitted for individuals to grow marijuana in their home gardens. This marijuana has been distributed through marijuana clubs. Currently, there are about 700 marijuana clubs nationwide in Spain.

Spanish marijuana costs about 5 euros (approximately 7,000 KRW) per gram, which is cheaper than the European average of 15 euros (about 21,000 KRW). Drug organizations that have entered Spain recently operate "indoor marijuana cultivation farms" equipped with automatic irrigation systems and temperature controllers in city apartments where monthly rents have decreased.

As European criminal organizations flood in, power struggles between organizations are also occurring. On top of that, marijuana-related laws are lax. In Spain, even if someone is caught with illegal marijuana at a marijuana club and brought to trial, the maximum sentence is no more than two years in prison.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.