Norwegian authorities arrested eight Poles. All because of... the smell

In the summer of 2020, two Poles purchased a remote farm in Trøndelag. Initially, nothing aroused suspicion. It wasn't until the autumn of 2024 that officers noticed some disturbing signs. During surveillance, they detected a strong smell of cannabis. Soon after, police conducted a search, discovering 2,000 plants and about 130 kilograms of processed material.

Prosecutors claim that the illegal activity had been ongoing since at least 2021. Six of the detained Poles were charged with drug production as part of an organized criminal group. Each had a specific role, from purchasing the farm to building and operating the plantation.

One of the men, in addition to growing marijuana, is also accused of smuggling over three million cigarettes and 20,000 liters of alcohol into Norway.

Most of the suspects have been in custody since November 2024. Two men deny any wrongdoing. One admits partial guilt. The case will go before the District Court in Trøndelag in December. The eighth participant has already been sentenced in October to one year and six months in prison for involvement in the same plantation.

The trial, set to begin this winter, is expected to reveal the full scale of the farm's operations in Indre Fosen. Police and prosecutors are also investigating whether the profits from cannabis production were laundered or transferred abroad. Investigators do not rule out the involvement of additional individuals.