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How a trafficking scheme triggered price compression in Germany

Published

3 weeks ago

April 10, 2026

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The thread connecting the Erva Daninha operation to the current price compression in the Portuguese cannabis export market does not begin in Lisbon or Berlin.

According to an industry source with direct knowledge of the scheme, the criminal network that would eventually lead to a sector-wide regulatory crackdown allegedly operated through a mechanism that exploited the loosest link in Portugal’s export chain. Some non-EU countries are said to have issued import permits, which were used by European operators with export permits on the Portuguese side, who sent these documents to Infarmed for approval and shipment of the product. The Portuguese authorities finally called their counterparts from the countries in question to verify the documentation, the paperwork was not completed. The main actors, the source says, cashed in and left. “The worst thing is that Portugal was seen as the epicenter of pharmaceutical production in the world. They lost their reputation.”

Investigators determined that the criminal organization, aware of flaws and weaknesses in Portugal’s cannabis export inspection and control system, bought pharmaceutical companies and created authorized wholesale and export entities, then used false documentation and certificates to ship thousands of kilos to illegal markets. Europe and Africa.On May 20, 2025, the National Anti-Drug Trafficking Unit of the Judicial Police carried out 64 search and seizure orders from the north to the south of the country and on the island of Madeira, arresting several suspects. The operation was called Erva Daninha.

Legitimate operators were careful to distinguish themselves from the actors they were investigating. Nuno Martens from Takodana He said he welcomed the attack. “I don’t understand why people are afraid of this. It’s a good thing that the PJ is doing these raids. If there are things that need to be investigated, that’s good.” The real challenges of the market were soon to materialize.

the conclusion
In the months that followed, several licenses were revoked. Infarmed tightened oversight and added new paperwork requirements, creating an ever-changing regulatory framework that made scaling, exports, and day-to-day operations significantly more difficult. It all startedAs one Portuguese producer said, when Infarmed began to inspect the company more closely May police raid.

One processor’s journey shows how the frozen product eventually became a pricing weapon. According to the source, the companies whose licenses were revoked had between 10 and 14 tons in inventory. Initially written off as a loss, the tide quickly turned when Infarmed reinstated those licenses and lots were released. According to the source, the operators did not want that product anymore, it was already registered as a loss, so the logical conclusion was to remove it as soon as possible. This is how significant amounts of cannabis flowed into Germany at one euro per gram, forcing prices down.

According to market data, by autumn 2025, GACP-certified high-THC flower in Germany was already between €0.75 and €2.30 per gram, while EU-GMP-certified material commanded a clear premium of €2.15 to €3.55 per gram. By the spring of 2026, prices had fallen further. High-THC GACP flower ranged from €0.60 to €2.50 per gram, while EU-GMP high-THC flower softened to €2.00 to €3.48.

Reclaiming reputation
The reputational damage had already spread beyond the prices. Grower active in Portugal said MMJ Daily The trust issues created by the raid exacerbated everything that followed. “They had certain certificates, but they thought they were authorized and they made movements that were not there.” Now when operators want to structure deals through Portugal, the answer from international partners is: Except for Portugal. Malta’s medical cannabis business grew by 1,000% last year.

In early April 2026, at least eight more cannabis operators were removed from Infarmed’s listings, in what analysts described as an unprecedented drop in all. license categories. Whether these departures reflect non-renewal of administration, business failure or the ongoing effects of the 2024 freeze is not yet entirely clear.

A sign of recovery is emerging, however. Another source familiar with the sector points to a new digital UN verification system for import and export documentation, which will be rolled out by the end of April 2026, as a potential turning point. The system is already receiving positive early reviews from operators who have seen it in action. If he delivers on that promise, the source believes Portugal’s reputation could begin to recover within the next three months.

A trafficking ring that allegedly used fake import permits and European export licenses led to the police operation. The police operation resulted in a regulatory crackdown. The crackdown froze tens of tons of legitimate products at Portuguese facilities. The frozen product, once launched, hit the German market at a price that reset everyone else’s expectations. The main actors, according to the source, are still at large.

Related Topics:compression Germany price scheme trafficking triggered

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Cannabis growth facility eyes new spot for growth facility near Crisfield

Published

5 hours ago

May 1, 2026

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The Somerset County Board of Zoning Appeals approved another special exception for a cannabis-growing facility after negotiations to purchase a previous location failed to reach an agreement.

Trilogy Group LLC was granted a license to grow by the Maryland Cannabis Association, with the condition that the business be operational by July 2026. Trilogy Group wants to operate on the county-owned, undeveloped industrial site on Revell’s Neck Road in Westover. However, this project time frame does not coincide with the license term.

In September 2025, the producer was approved for a special exception for a facility at 4630 Crisfield Highway. The existing building houses Jed’s Auto Refinishing, which would be renovated to accommodate the growing operations. When the sale of that property ultimately failed, Trilogy Group purchased the land at 4381 Crisfield Highway and obtained another special exemption.

Jesse Drewer, Somerset’s Director of Technical and Community Services, said: “They looked for a site they already owned before coming to us and working through the process. “They are landlords and developers all in one.”

Cannabis News

Trump’s New Surgeon General Pick Said Using Marijuana Can Give You ‘Man Boobs’

Published

6 hours ago

May 1, 2026

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President Donald Trump’s new surgeon general nominee has raised concerns about marijuana, at one point saying its use is linked to the development of large breasts, or “man boobs,” in men. However, he also admitted that medical cannabis has “potential benefits”.

Trump announced Thursday that he would tap Nicole Saphier, who is now the director of breast imaging at Memorial Sloan Kettering, to be the surgeon general of the United States.

Saphier has repeatedly discussed what he sees as the dangers of marijuana use, and has been more open to the potential benefits of its non-intoxicating ingredient CBD.

“There is a common misconception that marijuana is safer than alcohol and other drugs,” he wrote on Fox News in 2019. “As a doctor I know that marijuana is not harmless and can have serious adverse effects on the health of users.”

“And as a mother of three (one in college), I’m concerned that legalizing the drug for adults sends a clear message to kids that they can get pot without negative health effects,” she said.

Saphier went on to criticize the 2020 Democratic presidential candidates who supported marijuana reform, saying it’s “politically a popular cause, especially among young voters.”

“These candidates are more interested in how legalization of pot will affect their electoral prospects than how legalization will affect public health,” he said. he wrote.

Among the health concerns he has raised is that cannabis use is “directly linked” to “man boobs”.

“Physically, we know that marijuana is directly linked to respiratory problems (if smoked), cardiovascular disease, and gynecomastia (“man nipples”). As a breast radiologist, the first question I ask men when they come in for breast augmentation is whether they currently smoke marijuana or have smoked it in the past. Often, the answer is “yes.”

Trump’s appointment of Saphier comes just as his administration is moving forward with federal rescheduling of marijuana.

Although the surgeon general has no formal involvement in the drug program, which is administered by the Department of Justice and the Department of Health and Human Services, the position is seen as “America’s doctor” and plays a role in addressing health issues on behalf of the government.

In a podcast earlier this year, Saphier admitted that there are “potential benefits” to medical cannabis.

“Of course, there is evidence supporting cannabinoids for chemotherapy-induced nausea, certain seizure disorders, chronic pain syndromes, multiple sclerosis,” he said. “But that’s very different than, you know, the general normalization of high-potency recreational cannabis on a daily basis, especially in developing brains, which doesn’t happen until age 25.”

In the same podcast, he said that he personally “doesn’t like” and has “never tried” cannabis.

“I think CBD products are probably significantly less harmful if they don’t have THC. I’m not a fan of THC,” Saphier. he said. “I think if people are trying to get away from alcohol and want to take low doses of CBD, not inhale it, not smoke it, I’m sure it’s probably less risky than some of the other things out there.”

“Let’s be honest, today’s cannabis is not your parents’ marijuana. The potency of THC has increased dramatically over the last two decades. High-concentrate products, vapes, dabs, edibles, what the kids are doing these days, I don’t even know.”

In another interview focused on concerns about cannabis use by pregnant women, Saphier he said “As we continue to legalize marijuana, people are equating that to, ‘it has to be safe.'”

In a separate interview, he suggested that the legalization of cannabis is increasing its use among young people, which he said increases rates of addiction and psychosis.

“One in six children who try it, becomes addicted. Cannabis use in children, the risk of psychosis is four times higher,” he said. “What have we done? Legalize. Normalize.”

Trump’s predecessor, now retired Candidate Casey Means discussed his “significant experiences” with psychedelics beforehand Saying that marijuana “can greatly decrease your ability to generate good energy.”

Means himself said during a confirmation hearing in February he would not advise Americans to experiment with psychedelics as he has donebut noted that there is “exciting” research indicating that substances such as psilocybin can effectively treat serious mental health conditions.

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Missouri cannabis growers file class action against Good Day Farm

Published

1 day ago

April 30, 2026

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CPC of Missouri-Smithville, LLC and GF Saint Mary LLC, licensed cannabis growers and manufacturers in Missouri, filed a lawsuit in the Circuit Court of Jackson County on behalf of independent wholesalers, alleging that Good Day Farm (GDF) and its network of conspiring companies and investors were harmed by an intentional, coordinated and unconstitutional scheme. The complaint alleges that the “GDF Cartel” illegally controls or manages the state’s share of dispensary licenses and uses that market power to manipulate Missouri’s $1.52 billion cannabis market for its own profit.

GDF and its co-conspirators allegedly built the cartel by arranging for third parties to invest in limited liability companies (LLCs) that then acquire additional dispensaries, cultivation and processing facilities, all of which are owned, operated or controlled by GDF. The result: The alleged cartel exercises effective control over at least 61 dispensaries, nearly triple the 22 allowed by the Missouri Constitution, with more than 10% of dispensary licenses “under substantially common control, ownership or management.” With 224 dispensaries currently licensed statewide, the alleged GDF Cartel controls more than one in four dispensary licenses in Missouri. But its influence is even greater, with alleged Cartel dispensaries accounting for more than 40% of wholesale cannabis in the state, giving it significant — and illegal — influence over all independent growers and manufacturers forced to sell through its network.

To avoid the Missouri Constitution’s 10% licensing limit and avoid regulatory oversight, the alleged cartel operates under five different brand names:

Good Day Farm (21 dispensaries),
CODES (20 dispensaries),
Green light (10 dispensaries),
Fresh Karma (6 dispensaries), and
3 Fifteen Primo (4 medications).

But they’re all part of a single, coordinated operation, the complaint says.

Purchase cannabis products from non-Cartel wholesalers at artificially depressed prices;
They supply their 61 dispensaries with the same products—mainly those produced by Cartel growers—significantly excluding products from independent wholesalers;
Force independent drug wholesalers to purchase the Cartel’s finished products as a condition for their wholesale products to be placed on the Cartel’s drug store shelves; and
Boycott non-cartel wholesalers who refuse to agree to anti-cartel demands.

Bob Hoffman, one of the attorneys leading the case, said: “The GDF Cartel is removing competition from the wholesale cannabis market and enriching itself with illegal profits through a counterproductive, clandestine business conspiracy. Missouri growers and manufacturers have been suffering under this scheme for a long time; many of them know something is wrong, but we don’t realize how the cartel has manipulated the market through this manipulation framework. Missourians to approve recreational cannabis in 2022 They voted for a fair and competitive market. Missouri licensed cannabis businesses that have suffered these practices should join us because they may be entitled to substantial damages.”

The complaint alleges the financial toll the Cartel has taken: Since the Cartel began illegal price-fixing, it has used its collective market power to lower wholesale prices by more than 20%, and continues to squeeze wholesalers and threaten the viability of their operations.

The unconstitutional complaint alleges that GDF knew its plan to build cartels could create legal risks for the company under the Constitution’s 10% licensing limit. The complaint quotes from a document provided by GDF to potential investors: “There can be no assurance that the Missouri Department of Cannabis Regulation will not dispute the number of marijuana dispensaries operated or supervised by the operator or its affiliates…”.

This action is brought on behalf of a putative class that includes all licensed independent wholesalers in Missouri that are not members of the alleged GDF Cartel for purposes of injunctive relief. Wholesalers who believe they have been financially harmed by the alleged Cartel’s practices should join the case because they may be entitled to substantial damages. The putative class is represented by the law firms of Feuerstein Kulick LLP and Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner LLP.

Source: Feuerstein Kulick LLP and Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner LLP