Arrests over cannabis medical emergencies
Portugal is now the world's second largest exporter of medicinal cannabis, behind only Canada.
The GNR (National Republican Guard) in Faro has arrested five individuals following reports of medical emergencies linked to the consumption of cannabis-derived products sold in local shops.
The operation, carried out last Thursday in Albufeira, resulted in the detention of three men and two women and the seizure of more than 2,300 items suspected of containing illegal substances.
According to the GNR’s statement, the raids were prompted by “several cases of medical emergencies associated with products bought from stores selling cannabis-derived substances.”
The seized goods included plant preparations for smoking, edibles, cosmetics, and medicinal items — many containing tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the psychoactive component of cannabis, which is illegal outside specific legal channels.
Among the items confiscated were 57 jars of marijuana, 365 pre-rolled joints, 769 packets containing THC-based cannabis and hashish products, and over 500 cannabis-infused edibles and cosmetics.
Authorities also found 387 products lacking Portuguese-language labeling and 130 tobacco items without fiscal stamps.
The GNR also issued several administrative infractions: two for selling unapproved medicinal products, two for improper labeling, two for tobacco without tax stamps, two for missing no-smoking signs, and one for failing fire safety regulations.
The case has been referred to the Albufeira District Court.
World’s second-largest cannabis exporter
The incident highlights regulatory gaps in Portugal’s fast-growing cannabis industry.
Though Portugal is now the world’s second-largest exporter of medicinal cannabis, trailing only Canada, recent scrutiny has turned toward its regulatory oversight.
Central to Portugal’s rise is Terra Verde, a company established in 2014 in Montijo with the backing of former PSD minister Ângelo Correia.
Terra Verde received early authorization from Portugal’s medical regulator, Infarmed, allowing it to become the first Portuguese company to export cannabis for medicinal use, mainly to the UK.
The company later attracted investment from GW Pharmaceuticals and was sold in 2019 to British firm EMMAC for €29 million. EMMAC was later acquired by U.S. giant Curaleaf for €274 million — a company reportedly financed in part by Russian oligarch Roman Abramovich via offshore entities.
With the global medicinal cannabis market expected to reach €19.2 billion in 2025, Portugal remains a key playe, but the Albufeira arrests raise new concerns about safety, oversight, and the blurred lines between the legal medicinal trade and recreational abuse.