Police error in Hagen: Legal cannabis plantation destroyed!

Police error in Hagen: Legal cannabis plantation destroyed!

On April 10, 2025, an incident caused a stir in Hagen, North Rhine-Westphalia. The local police accidentally destroyed a legal cannabis plantation from the cannabis club "High Life". Around 900 young plants were removed in the destruction of the plants, which earned the association a significant financial loss, which the lawyer Jens Gunnar Cordes estimates at around 270,000 euros. However, this does not yet include the costs for new seedlings and additional expenses.

The situation started when an investigation against a predominated man was accepted. The public prosecutor's office Hagen met with a blueprint that suspected an illegal drug plantation. Without knowledge of the legal nature of the production facility, the public prosecutor requested a search decision on the same day. On March 20, 2025, the police then carried out a search.

police measures and their consequences

Although the police entered the hall, they were not aware of this at that time that it was a legal system. According to a message from the Hagen police, the circumstances would give the impression of an illegal plantation. In consultation with the public prosecutor, it was finally decided to destroy the plants because an official approval could not be recognized.

chief prosecutor Gerhard Pauli criticized the district government for the fact that the regulatory authorities do not inform them promptly about the locations of legal cannabis clubs. The lawyer of the "High Life" club pointed out that the landlord also informed the police about legal management. Despite the information, the police cut off the 900 cannabis plants and took them away.

In the meantime, the chairman of the cannabis club has complained to the police. This offered to return the remnants of the plant, which, however, were unusable due to their destruction. In the event of a harvest, the 900 plants would have taken around 45 kilograms of cannabis.

legal developments and social context

The police are now legally checking how the claim for damages should be dealt with. These events are also in the context of a broader discussion about drug policy in Germany. The Federal Republic has recognized the limits of previous drug policy in cannabis consumption in recent years. A new drug policy that came into force on April 1, 2024 aims to curb the illegal cannabis market and control the quality of cannabis.

As part of this new legislation, adults may grow up to three plants privately, and from July 1, 2024, it is planned that growing associations can pass on cannabis to adults for their own consumption. Measures are provided that aims at improvements in health protection and child and youth protection.

The operators of such legal cultivation associations must have the necessary official permits. Despite the positive development and legal clarity, as is also promoted by the Federal Health and Agricultural Minister, the dealings with existing legal and security challenges, such as the incidents in Hagen, remains critical.

The concern for security is still great because improper electrics can lead to fire hazards in cannabis plantations. Firefighters and police are often called to extinguish fires, which then leads to the discovery of illegal plantations. This overall position underlines the need for clear information and that the responsible authorities have to work together better.