Ceará, Brazil Faces Controversy Over 290,000‑Plant Marijuana Seizure

Police in Acopiara, Ceará, seized approximately 290,000 marijuana plants on the Fazenda Bezerra property, marking one of the largest drug plant busts in the state. Deputy André Fernandes released a video alleging that remnants of the plantation were left behind and questioned the handling of the seized material. Police officials, including delegate Pedro Viana, contested the claim, stating the material shown in the video were only roots and that the plants had been burned daily in trenches as part of a controlled incineration process. Former civil‑secretary Chagas Vieira added that the entire crop was disposed of according to protocol.

Meanwhile, landowner João Holanda Neto, 59, was placed under temporary custody after police determined he had rented the land to a suspect, Cristiano Rodrigues, and was unaware of the drug cultivation. Neto appealed publicly for Rodrigues to come forward, citing his recent skin‑cancer diagnosis and stating he only used the property to store tools. Authorities are also investigating whether officers abandoned parts of the crop after the initial operation.

Both the political dispute and the criminal investigation revolve around the same large‑scale marijuana operation in Acopiara.