Often considered one of the most liberal countries on drugs, the Netherlands is introducing harsher penalties for drug-related crimes. Justice Minister David van Weel introduced a new bill proposing tougher penalties for various drug offenses, writes Born2Invest.

The changes seek to make the country less attractive to international drug gangs by aligning Dutch penalties with stricter drug laws in neighboring countries such as Germany and Belgium and by providing better security for Dutch citizens.

Proposed penalties for drug-related offenses include:

• Smuggling hard drugs: Maximum sentence raised from 12 to 16 years.
• Trafficking and production of hard drugs: Maximum penalty increased from 8 to 12 years.
• Possession of large quantities of hard drugs: Penalty raised from 6 to 8 years.

"Drug trafficking is a major source of income for organized crime. Our goal is to curb this activity through severe penalties, so that the Netherlands is not seen as an easy place for criminals," Van Weel said.

According to the Ministry of Justice, current penalties do not discourage criminals who cross borders and operate on a large scale.

Additionally, the Netherlands is focusing on preventing youth involvement in crime through education, combating illegal income models and enforcing effective punishments.

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Cannabis Developments

A recent police report revealed that cannabis cultivation in the Netherlands is declining as more countries legalize marijuana. Analyzing the drug market over the last four years. The police wrote “Dutch cannabis cultivation seems to have lost importance.” Nonetheless, the country is still an important player in the global drug trade.

In June, Holland’s cannabis experimental trial program, which was met with controversy from some politicians, was expanded to eight new cities. Initially launched last year in the municipalities of Tilburg and Breda the four-year cannabis experiment entered its next stage. The expansion allowed for cannabis cafes, or “coffeeshops”, in Groningen, Zaanstad, Almere, Arnhem, Nijmegen, Voorne aan Zee, Heerlen and Maastricht to sell marijuana and hashish produced by licensed growers.

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• Canadian Cannabis Co. Village Farms Targets Dutch Market, Plans To Begin Production In Netherlands By Q4 2024

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