Ceará farm owner arrested after 290,000 cannabis plants seized
The Ceará Civil Police (PCCE) arrested 59‑year‑old João Holanda Neto on 2 July after a raid uncovered approximately 290,000 cannabis plants on his Fazenda Bezerra in Acopiara. The seized crop was valued at about R$ 200 million. Neto, who has a prior conviction for receptação, was placed in preventive detention and handed over to the judiciary. The farmer’s family says he is undergoing treatment for skin cancer and that the farm had been managed by third parties. Investigators continue to interview witnesses and trace the supply chain behind the large‑scale cultivation.
The operation also involved the seizure of a rental contract and other documentation related to the farm. Police said the case will be further examined to identify any additional participants in the trafficking network.