TIRANA, Albania — Albanian authorities say they have confiscated about half a million cannabis plants this year, arresting 240 suspected growers and drug traffickers.
Interior Ministry spokesman Ardi Bita said Friday that fighting drug production is a “top priority” for police.
Some 7 billion euros ($7.9 billion) worth of marijuana has been seized and destroyed so far, Interior Minister Saimir Tahiri said.
Big busts
NEW: of The Cannabist Show.
Subscribe to our .
Watch .
This week, 100 police destroyed some 16,000 plants in Kurvelesh, south of Tirana.
Albania was long a major marijuana producer in Europe. A crackdown started last year, when police stormed the southern village of Lazarat with armored personnel carriers — despite coming under automatic weapon and rocket fire by drug growers.
Prime Minister Edi Rama has set the fight against drugs as a main priority for his government, elected in 2013.
