Illicit drugs laboratories: Cannabis plantation

Aim
By exploring authentic illicit cannabis plantations, you will learn about safety measures to take when approaching such hazardous cultivation sites. If you are not yet an expert in identifying and investigating drug production, this eLesson is a good starting point. This will help you to deal with the dangers related to illicit cannabis plantations and will equip you to prevent … and combat drug crimes.

Learning outcomes

1. Recall the main characteristics, stages and requirements of indoor cannabis plantations
2. Make assessment of the size of the crop in relation to the scale of cannabis cultivation.
3. Detail the different raw materials and equipment needed for or associated with indoor cannabis cultivation as well as how organised crime groups can obtain these.
4. Name the measures that organised crime groups take to avoid detection, including equipment used for this.
5. List evidential value of different traces, labels, mislabelling, parcels, financial documentation, packages of dried cannabis and other artefacts found in illicit indoor cannabis plantations for future prosecutions.
6. Describe the hazards emerging in illicit cannabis cultivation facilities and countering measures to take when approaching such facilities.
7. Explain the safety measures and preventive steps to take by non-specialist law enforcement officers approaching illicit cannabis plantations.