Well, you might remember that soon after we moved to Wassenaar, a cannabis (marijuana) farm was found in a neighboring flat - right across the street from us. A few days ago my doorbell rang - it was the police - explaining that they'd found "soft drugs" in the house and asking if we'd seen anyone or anything that would help them locate those reponsible. It was THE SAME HOUSE! Pictures would be the same - lots of officers, both uniformed and plain clothed, and the trucks from the removal company that takes all the equipment and plants from the house.
Who knows when the perpetrators returned - they likely have been operating for a while....
"Soft drugs" include marijuana, hashish and other "organic" drugs. It used to include hallucinogenic mushrooms - which were declared prohibited in 2007. Soft drugs are not technically legal in the Netherlands, but they are 'tolerated' and small amounts for personal use are allowed. The policy came about as a result of a serious heroine probolem in the 1970's.
Cannabis remains a controlled substance in the Netherlands and both possession and production for personal use are still misdemeanos, punishable by fine. Coffee shops are also technically illegal according to the statutes but, are flourishing nonetheless. According to current gedoogbeleid (the Dutch "tolerance law") the possession of a maximum amount of five grams cannabis for personal use is not prosecuted. A maximum of five Cannabis sativa plants may be grown without prosecution, although they have to be handed over upon discovery. So, the house contained mor than five plants...
Wassenaar may be considered "the Beverly Hills of Holland" (not accurate!). Granted, in South Wassenaar there are some HUGE and very expensive homes and much of Wassenaar is quite posh, and there are quite a few residents with bags of money - but it certainly doesn't mean there isn't organized crime here (which is who I suspect runs the ring here).
I'm working on the photos from Portugal where we spent time with the in-laws and the Collins family (now living in Houston). Stay tuned!
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