Growing marijuana is not allowed. But people in financial need often see a hemp plantation as a solution. They are an easy prey for organized crime, it turned out yesterday in the court in Maastricht.

Maria and Bert are both around sixty years old. Their café in Posterholt is running badly and they are in danger of going bankrupt. They see a way out when they hear that an acquaintance of theirs has a cannabis plantation. That brings in money. They ask this acquaintance Erik if he can also arrange for a weed plantation to be set up at their place. Erik knocks on the door of his contact, Buddy, who is only too happy to set up a plantation above the café. Everything is arranged for the Stet And if there is a fine, for example for tapping electricity, Buddy will pay it. This example is typical of people in debt, letting thieves plant a weed farm. Because édk Erik is in debt when he hesluit Buddy. to plant a `garden' in the attic.

3.5 million euros laundered according to justice department

This Buddy is a member of a criminal organization according to the Public Prosecutor's Office (0M). And organized crime seems.to like to take advantage of people who are in financial dire straits. Yesterday twelve suddenly appeared in court who in one way or another maintained ties with the gang of 30-year-old Buddy L. (30) from Beek, Thei R. (51.) not Papenhoven, Marcello T. (46) from Geleen and Peter S. (5o) from Brunssum. Their criminal organization, consisting of about fifteen people, Waste According to the justice department around 3.5 million euros white. A big' part of this money came from cannabis trade. Not only plantation managers stood before the

judge, also the gang's regular electrician and a woman who helps cut hemp to Ppen. Most of the suspects on trial in Máastricht were charged with community service .ranging from 4o to 1,8o hours. A few heard a fine demanded against them or a repayment of the financial benefit they derived from their hemp trade. One exception was a 69-year-old man from Best. According to the prosecutor, he installed the power system in a shed in Schwalmtal, where a cannabis plantation of more than a thousand plants was located:The prosecutor wants this suspect behind bars for two months. The verdicts will follow in two weeks. The members of the gang are due in court in September.