MADRID, Nov 6 (NNN-AGENCIES) — The largest haul of cannabis ever found has been discovered in a series of raids across Spain, police say.
Authorities said they seized more than 32 tonnes of the drug which has an estimated street value of more than £57m.
Police said they arrested nine men and 11 women, aged between 20 and 59, in busts across Spain.
The Guardia Civil said the “complex business network” was exporting the drugs across Europe.
The weight of the seized plants is roughly equivalent to more than five adult African elephants.
The gang were arrested following raids in Toledo, Ciudad Real, Valencia and Asturias last month but details of Operation Gardens were only made public on Saturday.
Police said the business was run by different “companies” which carried out the different parts of the process – from buying the seeds, to growing and drying the plants, to packaging them and shipping them out.
“The Civil Guard has seized the largest cache of packaged marijuana found so far,” a police statement said.
“It was equivalent to approximately 1.1 million plants.” — NNN-AGENCIES
