ONE of the promoters of a marihuana plantation in Rasquera, Tarragona, has been arrested for drug trafficking.

The farming village hit the news recently after announcing plans to pay its €1.3 million municipal debt by leasing muncipal land for marihuana cultivation.

The council voted to offer the land to a Barcelona-based marijuana-users’ group ABCDA with 5,000 members who would grow the plant for their own consumption.

Mayor Bernat Pellisa had been in talks for eight months with them, and the plan was that for use of a privately-owned plot ceded to the council, ABCDA would take out a €36,000 licence and sign a contract promising to pay €54,000 each month for two years.

Four other members of ABCDA were also arrested, although they were later released with charges.

Police seized 1.3 kilos of marihuana, utensils used to prepare drugs and around €2,000 from the premises ABCDA has in Barcelona which was closed down. There were almost a dozen people inside consuming or waiting to buy marihuana at the time of the raid.

The regional police claim that although the association is registered as non-profit, they have proof that they are selling drugs for similar prices as on the black market.