Vienna cannabis plantation trial begins

A trial has commenced at the Regional Court regarding what prosecutors describe as one of the largest cannabis plantations in recent Viennese criminal history. Two primary defendants, aged 42 and 46, are accused of converting a warehouse in Vienna-Liesing exceeding 3,000 square meters into an illegal cultivation site in early 2024.

Authorities report that the operation produced hundreds of kilograms of cannabis. During a police raid last year, officers seized 300 kilograms of cannabis in 99 bags and discovered 9,270 plants. An additional 420 kilograms were found in various self-storage units rented by a third defendant. The facility was highly sophisticated, featuring specialized growing infrastructure, a kitchen, sanitary facilities, and living quarters for nine workers of Serbian origin.

The defendants have denied the charges, with their legal counsel arguing that the operation was a ‘legal research business’ rather than a production site for narcotics.