Ostrava, North Moravia, July 13 (CTK) – Customs officers in Ostrava have revealed an international gang smuggling marijuana to Poland and they have seized some 11 kilos of the drug and 211 hemp plants for its production, regional customs headquarters spokeswoman Pavla Zdobnicka told CTK on Thursday.
Seven people have been accused of illegal production and handling of narcotic and psychotropic substances and poisons. If found guilty, they face up to 12 years ins prions, she added.
The customs officers have dealt with a suspicion of a channel for smuggling marijuana from the Czech Republic to Poland since the spring. They have uncovered a group that was probably smuggling the drug for long.
“The main organiser was a 27-year-old man from Havirov who was buying marijuana en masse from other suspects from Prerov and Tovacov (all north Moravia) and then he sold it to foreigners from Poland who transported it illegally to Poland,” Zdobnicka said.
The police and customs officers caught this man along with his supplier from Tovacov red-handed during the transfer of 2.5 kilos of marijuana at the end of June.
A police rapid reaction unit detained anther three suspects, a 22-year-old man who was allegedly mediating the transactions and two Polish citizens, suspected of smuggling the drug to Poland. Another marijuana supplier from Prerov was also arrested.
“During house searches, we seized more than two kilos of marijuana, 181 hemp plants in a cultivation lab, as well as technological equipment and components, 25 grammes of methamphetamine and 13 grammes of hashish,” Zdobnicka said.
The customs officers also tracked another marijuana grower during the investigation and questioning. They arrested the man from Karvina, north Moravia, a week later and found almost six kilos of marijuana at his place.
