Weed Farm #01
If you enter an abandoned property, you might discover something you are not supposed to see. This is about one of the most unexpected finds you can make inside such a place... We discovered the remains of a cannabis factory set up inside an abandoned mansion. With a sophisticated system in use, it was possible to grow up to 500 marijuana plants here at the same time - illegally, of course. When police forces stormed the derelict villa more than ten years ago, they found a gold mine. The officers could stop a large-scale cannabis cultivation that was used to flush the local drug market with a new product. It sounds like a story from the Breaking Bad universe, but these were real events happening in rural Germany.
Weed Farm #02
Surrounded by a big park this building is all that is left of a small town’s elegant residential area. The gate was wide open and invited us to enter the historic property. The history of this manor dates back to the 1920s when it was built by wealthy merchants. When the family moved away only ten years later, the site was owned by the church, which decided to house nuns here. They were living here until 30 years ago.
Weed Farm #06
Shortly before the political changes in the country, the mansion was turned into public property by the socialist nation of the German Democratic Republic. Since it was not clear who owned the place after the fall of the GDR, the building is vacant since 1990. The building stock looks quite good today but that is because it was prepared for preservation one year later. But since 1991 nothing really happened on the property. It took more than 15 years until someone came up with a new idea of how to use the neglected building.
Weed Farm #03
Apparently, we just discovered the remains of a large-scale cannabis cultivation in the basement of the historic manor. This was in fact one of the weirdest finds we have made inside an abandoned place so far. We were curious about the full story. Luckily, online we found detailed news about what has happened here in 2008. It is said that a group of multiple individuals started this cannabis production to supply the local drug market with weed from their own plantation. For that, they broke into this abandoned villa. Then, they drilled a well that is 70 meters deep, they installed an electrical system and even surveillance cameras. To get power they were actually tapping the wire. All the things they needed for their cannabis cultivation like growing kits, fertilizer or appropriate light was purchased in Berlin which is very close to this place.
Weed Farm #04
According to the media, three persons were involved in the dope production. Police was observing them because attentive neighbors noticed the shady events and strangers walking in and out the vacant building. When evidence was emerging that they wanted to run, police stormed the place. They found almost 500 cannabis plants in here.
Weed Farm #05
However, in the end, nobody was harmed or suffered any damage because of the weed cultivation. That is why their sentences were rather trivial. Only one of them had to go to prison but that was because of his previous convictions. More than ten years later, this manor is still full with the remains of these bold actions. Who knows how many drug plantations inside abandoned structures are out there? And we can't stop thinking about what would happen if we ran into an active one one day?
Weed Farm #07
If you interested in seeing more of the abandoned weed farm please make sure to watch our video in which we investigate the place in detal:
