or 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.Dagsavisen: Femti cannabis-gartnere fengslet , presentert 27. februar 2008

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.Innlandet.no: Avslørte hasjfarm i Søndre Land, 20. november 2007

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.Dagsavisen: Femti cannabis-gartnere fengslet , presentert 27. februar 2008

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.VG: Fant «oppskrifter» og cannabisrester, 22. februar 2008 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.VG: Cannabis-gartnere ramponerte Roars kjeller, 4. mars 2008

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.VG: Mener cannabis-saken har forgreninger til utlandet, 5. mars 2008

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 discoveredPlaceCountyArrestedNotes27 June 2007Nittedal MunicipalityAkershus?Cannabis plantation3 October 2007Oslo Municipality Oslo?Cannabis plantation18 November 2007Enger, Søndre Land MunicipalityOppland –Cannabis plantation27 November 2007Svelvik MunicipalityVestfold?Cannabis plantation7 December 2007Sarpsborg MunicipalityØstfold1Cannabis plantation12 December 2007Halmstad, Rygge MunicipalityØstfold2Cannabis plantation13 December 2007Sarpsborg MunicipalityØstfold1Cannabis-plantation28 December 2007Kobbervikdalen, Drammen MunicipalityBuskerud1–2Cannabis plantation31 December 2007Askim Municipality Østfold –Recipes, cannabis leftovers and flower pots14 January 2008Sætre, Hurum MunicipalityBuskerud1Cannabis plantation24 January 2008Sarpsborg MunicipalityØstfold1Cannabis plantation25 January 2008Skogsbygda, Nes MunicipalityAkershus –Cannabis plantation27 January 2008Horten MunicipalityVestfold?Cannabis plantation28 January 2008Greniskogen, Nes MunicipalityRaumnes: Politiet fant ny hasjplantasje , 29. januar 2008Akershus1Cannabis plantation6 February 2008Rolvsøy, Fredrikstad MunicipalityØstfold –Cannabis plantation (vacated with withered plants)8 February 2008Skarnes, Sør-Odal MunicipalityHedmark3Cannabis plantation13 February 2008Roverud, Kongsvinger MunicipalityHedmark –Cannabis plantation14 February 2008Kråkerøy, Fredrikstad MunicipalityFredrikstad Blad: Razzia mot bolig – omgjort til cannabis-plantasje , 15. februar 2008Østfold1Cannabis plantation14 February 2008NomeVarden: Hasjfarm i Nome-kjeller , 16. februar 2008Telemark1Cannabis plantation15 February 2008Lillehammer MunicipalityOppland2–3Cannabis plantation17 February 2008Kongsberg MunicipalityBuskerud1Cannabis plantation20 February 2008Feiring, Eidsvoll MunicipalityAkershus2Cannabis plantation21 February 2008Gran MunicipalityOppland –Cannabis plantation21 February 2008Åsnes MunicipalityHedmark2Cannabis plantation, pots not plants24 February 2008Øvre Eiker MunicipalityDagsavisen: Femti cannabis-gartnere fengslet , presentert 27. februar 2008Buskerud2Cannabis plantation25 February 2008Ski MunicipalityAkershus –50 cannabis potted plants dumped on a forest path26 February 2008Tønsberg and HortenVestfold104 different cannabis plantations revealed26 February 2008Rollag MunicipalityBuskerud1Cannabis plantation27 February 2008Flatby, Enebakk MunicipalityAkershus5Cannabis plantation29 February 2008Marker MunicipalityØstfold1Cannabis plantation29 February 2008Rømskog MunicipalityØstfold1Production equipment29 February 2008Kirkebygda, Enebakk MunicipalityNettavisen: Nok en cannabisplantasje funnet , 1. mars 2008Akershus1Cannabis plantation4 March 2008Nes MunicipalityAkershus –Cannabis plantation20 March 2008Hønefoss, Ringerike MunicipalityBuskerud2Cannabis plantation28 March 2008Gan, Fet MunicipalityAkershus2Cannabis plantation30 March 2008Sandefjord MunicipalityVestfold –Cannabis plantation6 April 2008Økernveien, Oslo MunicipalityOslo?Cannabis plantation8 April 2008Nordsinni, Nordre Land MunicipalityOppland1Cannabis plantation22 April 2008Lunner MunicipalityOppland2Cannabis plantation23 April 2008Trondheimsveien, Oslo MunicipalityOslo –Cannabis plantation21 June 2008Kyrkjøy, Finnøy MunicipalityAftenbladet: Tipser ga politiet GPS-koordinater til cannabisplantasje , 22. juni 2008Rogaland –Outdoor Cannabis Plantation2 July 2008Kyrkjøy, Finnøy MunicipalityAftenbladet: Ny cannabisplantasje , 2. juli 2008Rogaland –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.VG: Mener cannabis-saken har forgreninger til utlandet, 5. mars 2008Aftenposten: Ny cannabis-plantasje i Enebakk, 28. februar 2008 Nine different police districts: (Follo, Gudbrandsdal, Hedmark, Oslo, Romerike, Søndre Buskerud, Vestfold, Vestoppland and Østfold) and Anders were cooperating in the case.NRK Buskerud: Vil ha dem i fengsel, 11. mars 2008

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.VG: Mistenker kjedeeier for å være cannabis-bakmann, 3. april 2008

References

External links Morgenbladet: Plantations in the Eastern regions, Where do the Norwegian marihuanaplantasjene in the established narkotikaøkonomien? By Sveinung Sandberg, Christine Viland, Willy Pedersen.