Police find over 700 hemp plants and weapons arsenal in Dielsdorf district
The Zurich Cantonal Police secured marijuana, cash and prohibited weapons during house searches at an agricultural holding. Three Swiss nationals were arrested.
Raid on farm: hemp facility and machine pistol seized
The Zurich Cantonal Police carried out several house searches in the Dielsdorf district on Thursday morning and discovered an illegal indoor hemp facility as well as a weapons arsenal. According to the Tages-Anzeiger, three individuals were provisionally arrested.
Acting on instructions from the Winterthur/Unterland Public Prosecutor's Office, the officers initially searched an agricultural holding. In a barn they found a concealed hemp facility with more than 700 marijuana plants, over seven kilogrammes of ready-to-use and packaged marijuana, technical equipment such as lamps and filters, and several thousand francs in cash.
During a second house search – this time at the suspected operator's home – police officers came across an arsenal of prohibited weapons. Items seized included a machine pistol with magazines and ammunition, a silencer, an air pistol, a shotgun, a slingshot with arm brace, a knuckle duster, a switchblade, and various throwing stars and throwing knives.
According to a statement from the Zurich Cantonal Police, the arrested individuals consist of two Swiss men and one Swiss woman aged between 41 and 43 years. They must answer to the Public Prosecutor's Office for violations of the Weapons Act and the Narcotics Act. The presumption of innocence applies.
The cash and weapons were secured for the investigating authorities. A private disposal company dismantled the hemp facility and destroyed the drugs and growing equipment.
Source: Tages-Anzeiger