Guardia di Finanza officers from the Varese group discovered a 245-plant marijuana cultivation in Gavirate.[1][2][3] All 245 plants were seized and placed at the disposal of the judicial authority for further steps.[4][2] The two owners of the farm business linked to the cultivation were reported while remaining at liberty for cultivating narcotic substances.[1][2][3]

The potted plants were at an advanced growth stage, with formed inflorescences approaching cutting, drying and packaging.[1][3] The specimens ranged from about 40 centimetres to one metre tall, with one plant reaching about 1.80 metres.[1] Laboratory tests found a THC concentration above the limits in force, giving the matter criminal relevance.[1][2] Investigators estimated that, once growth and processing were complete, the crop could have been worth more than 500,000 euros.[1][2][3]

Investigators traced the cultivation to a farm formally operating in the aromatic- and medicinal-plant sector.[1] Officers then checked hemp-cultivation requirements, focusing on seed traceability and the production’s destination.[1] The Guardia di Finanza said such controls verify crops and operators’ compliance and prevent apparently lawful farming from being used for unlawful conduct.[1]