In Itzehoe, Schleswig-Holstein, authorities conducted a search of a Hanf-Club that was being set up to serve as a legal production base following cannabis legalization. The police acted on a tip suggesting the involvement of a suspect in the operation of the Hanf-Club. Simultaneously, two residences of suspects on Luruper Hauptstraße in Hamburg-Lurup were also searched, resulting in the seizure of an item unrelated to narcotics. No arrests were made during the searches in Itzehoe and Hamburg-Lurup.
Approximately 40 officers, including narcotics investigators from the LKA 61 (organized crime), participated in the extensive raid. The financing of the Hanf-Club in construction appears to have been largely sourced from illicit drug activities. The State Prosecution did not disclose further information at the present regarding this aspect. With the legalization of Hanf/Cannabis clubs in Germany starting July 1, these establishments could become lucrative businesses attracting former dealers into the legal market.
Hanf-Clubs have raised concerns among experts who fear they could become hubs for money laundering and illegal drug importation. Thomas Jungfer, the Hamburg State Chair of the German Police Union (DPolG), criticized the cannabis law, highlighting the potential for illicit cannabis trade to transition to an official role in a cannabis club operation shortly after. This situation underscores the unique challenges posed by such business ventures within the legalized cannabis framework.