Rio Grande do Sul Association serving about a thousand patients targeted by police operation on Friday morning (31)

The Medicinal Cannabis Association (ASCAMED), which serves about a thousand cannabis patients, was the target of the second phase of Operation Green Deviation by the Federal Police (PF), on Friday morning (31). The operation was carried out with a search and seizure warrant. 

The action was carried out with a search and seizure warrant. The action took place seven months after the first search, also at the headquarters in Santa Maria (RS) and Caçapava do Sul (RS) - the first phase of Operation Green Deviation.

At the administrative headquarters in Santa Maria, about 200 plants were seized. Of these, 40 were in the vegetative stage and the rest were still in the germination stage. Also retained were 300 oils, air conditioning units, a brush cutter, and laboratory equipment for extractions and manipulations.

"Only chairs and tables were left," said pharmacist Marcelo Henrique Santana Nascimento, who was present when the 10 police officers arrived around 9 a.m.

The Association does not yet have information on the outcome of the action at its rural headquarters in Caçapava do Sul. Two agronomists from the association were at the site.

The association states that it will continue its work to provide treatment to all its patients. In addition, ASCAMED hopes to mobilize politically at regional and national levels.

Prior to the action, the association already had a Civil Action and a Collective Habeas Corpus pending in court, according to information from President Matheus Hampel.  

15 days after operation in SP

The action against ASCAMED comes about 15 days after the Santa Gaia Association in Lins (SP) underwent a similar operation. The entity, which provides medicinal Cannabis treatment to more than 9,000 patients, had 466 marijuana plants confiscated and another 96 in the oil production phase.

On that occasion, cell phones and computers were also seized for financial logistics analysis. Guilherme Viel, founder and president of Santa Gaia, was arrested on the spot and, at a custody hearing, his detention was maintained.

Operation Green Deviation

This second phase of Operation Green Deviation occurs seven months after the first. At that time, in March, 350 oil bottles and 900 plants (between plants and seedlings) from the association were incinerated, and other materials were destroyed.

According to police information, the police investigation started in 2024. The investigation began after the identification of a cannabis plantation on a rural property located in the Municipality of Caçapava do Sul.

The suspects may face charges of drug trafficking and association for trafficking. They may also be charged with counterfeiting, corruption, adulteration, or alteration of products intended for therapeutic or medicinal purposes.

The police point out that the investigations indicate that the cultivation is on a scale "significantly higher than authorized". The PF also alleges that the plantation was in a location different from the permitted one.

The Sechat Portal contacted the Federal Police of Rio Grande do Sul. At the time of publication of this article, no response had been received.