Israeli Police Seize Record 137,000 Cannabis Plants In Largest Operation Ever

Announcing one of the largest cannabis seizures in Israeli history, police said they had seized 137,550 plants.

In what is being called a complex operation that lasted three days, Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) raided 169 greenhouses in the Negev, a large desert region in southern Israel. They also raided 160 greenhouses containing 126,350 cannabis plants in an IDF firing range. 

Tons Of Marijuana Worth Millions

According to the police, the weight of the cannabis seized in the various greenhouses reached many tons with a market value of hundreds of millions of shekels.

In the days leading up to the operation, police conducted aerial reconnaissance missions which located the various greenhouses and allowed police to create an action plan to destroy them.

"This is a serious blow to criminals who could pocket large sums of money to continue financing their criminal activities," IDF authorities said in a statement, per the Jerusalem Post.

The IDF also found a large amount of the equipment used in the greenhouses, which they said had likely been stolen from Negev farmers. This included growing and fertilization equipment.

Cannabis Reform In Israel

Israel, which has become an international giant in cannabis production and research, recently announced that medical marijuana would receive a "comprehensive reform" to reduce regulation and transfer more responsibility to cannabis farmers. 

Oren Shuster, CEO of IM Cannabis Corp. IMCC IMCC, the first Israeli medical cannabis company to debut on the NASDAQ praised the move.

"With the overhaul of the cannabis regulation, the Israeli Ministry of Health is clearly putting patient needs first, facilitating the access of medical cannabis for many new patients," Shuster said.

Photo: Wikipedia