INTERNATIONAL: Catalan regional police on Thursday,February 17 has said the illegal trade of marijuana had grown "exponentially" is Spain's northeastern region in 2021 meaning it continues to be at "the epicentre of the illegal marijuana market in Europe."

"Marijuana is now one of the main security threats in Catalonia," said Montserrat Escude, the spokesperson for Catalonia's regional police, at a news conference assessing police intervention on the trade of cannabis in 2021.

Catalan police said 8.9 tons of the drug were confiscated in 2021 and 662 illegal plantations were closed down.

Escude has said fighting the illegal trade of marijuana was a priority for the regional police force and the regional government due to the impact it has on the community and its links to violent crime. He has also said it was essential to work in cooperation with European police departments to curb the illegal trade.