Marijuana Field Destroyed
Turkey: Turkish Armed Forces (TSK) are reporting that a field of over 240,000 marijuana plants with homemade explosives were found and destroyed last month. They believe the field was planted by members of the Kurdistan Worker’ Party (PKK). The destruction of this field comes only three weeks after a similar raid found nearly 1 million cannabis plants in Hevsel garden. The marijuana gardens are only a small part of the war going on between the TSK and PKK which involves aerial raids conducted by the TSK on an almost daily basis.
Grower Dies of Electrocution During Flood
Netherlands: Heavy rains hit the western part of the county extremely hard last month causing localized flooding and fires as lightning struck homes. The flooding also caused a man to die by electrocution while standing in water in the marijuana grow operation in his basement. It was unclear whether the man was tending to his marijuana or trying to keep his cannabis out of the flood waters when the electrocution occurred.
Clergy Member Detained for Possession of Marijuana
China: The Regional Department of Internal Affairs reported detaining a clergy member this month. The 47 year old man of the cloth was found to have 185 grams of marijuana wrapped in his cloth concealed in his pocket. The man has previously been convicted of possessing illegal substances as well as property theft. He is being held at a detention center in the local police department while the investigation is ongoing.
Seven Men Arrested After Police Raid
New South Wales: Seven men were arrested after police raids turned up fifty cannabis plants, 100kg of dried plant material, 31 prepackaged bags of marijuana flowers, and a hydroponic set-up. Police believe the operation was worth $1 million and also confiscated cash found at the site. The men are between 28 and 55 years old and face charges of cultivation of a prohibited plant for commercial purposes and supplying a
prohibited drug.
Pregnant Women Turn to Marijuana to Cure Morning Sickness
Canada: Concerns are rising in the country as more women turn to using marijuana as an aid to stop morning sickness during their pregnancies. Mothers using the medication claim they drink the oil in their tea and it has worked miracles; allowing them to eat and helping to keep the food down. Officials in the country are concerned with the long term effects it could have on the unborn child as studies have shown a changed brain function in children whose mothers used marijuana during their pregnancy. Andra Smith, an associate professor at the University of Ottawa’s School of Psychology, told CTV News, “I think this is really important information to get out there, that even if you can have this short-term relief of morning sickness, you might be impacting the future success of your offspring.” Doctors in the area are urging women to try known morning sickness treatments before moving on to something that needs more research to ensure it does not cause prolonged damage to the fetus. 
106 Packages of Hemp Retrieved At Customs Checkpoint
Nigeria: The Nigeria Customs Service arrested and handed over a suspected drug trafficker to the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency late last month. Sylvester Gbenga was arrested at the Gbaji Customs checkpoint after being found to have 106 packages of hemp. The parcels were hidden in a Toyota Sequoia with Lagos State plates. Acting Customs Area Comptroller stated Gbenga also had four international passports belonging to four different people and tried to bribe arresting officers with N47,500.
Nigerian Employee Caught Selling Marijuana
Dubai: The Anti-Narcotics department of Dubai received a tip about a man trying to sell marijuana and set up an ambush to catch him red-handed. The man, a Nigerian employee, was caught trying to sell 5kg of marijuana for Dhs 50,000. The Criminal Court sentenced the accused to life imprisonment immediately followed by deportation for possession of an illicit substance with intent to sell.
Fiji Cracks Down on Illicit Drug Use
Fiji: Operation Cavuraka is currently underway in the Navosa Highlands in Fiji. Operation Cavuraka is an attempt by police to bust anyone involved with illicit drug use. So far the task force has arrested four men in connection with a large field grow operation and another six who are accused of possessing the dried leaves of the plant. The Commissioner of Police claims he has ordered his officers to focus on certain areas because “during this International Day against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking (IDADAIT), I want our children to know that we are serious about protecting them and their future from this illegal drug trade.”
