Christiania crackdown yielding weapons and drugs

Raids in Christiania continue to uncover vast quantities of cannabis, though police are more concerned by the discovery of six guns

Police raids on the illegal open cannabis market on Pusherstreet in Christiania have uncovered a trove of weapons and drugs in the past week.

A raid yesterday afternoon by the police’s Taskforce Pusherstreet yielded a revolver, 20 kilograms of cannabis products, several thousand pre-rolled joints and around 100,000 kroner.

Five more loaded pistols were found in a dawn raid in Christiania last week along with 90kg of cannabis products, approximately 13,000 joints, two bulletproof vests and around 50 powerful fireworks.

Police spokesperson Jørgen Skov was concerned by the discovery of more weapons.

“It’s worrying that we have again found weapons in Christiania,” Skov told Berlingske newspaper. “It shows that we are dealing with hardened criminals who are set on protecting their activities.”

Police action in Christiania often encounters violent resistance from individuals associated with the criminal community, and yesterday’s raid was no different. According to Berlingske newspaper, police had stones, smokes bombs and chrysanthemum bombs thrown at them.

Gang members also attempted to hinder the police as they were leaving by throwing a large pointed barricade into the street. A firework was also fired at the police that exploded metres from an innocent bystander.

Taskforce Pusherstreet was established as a special unit this summer to place added pressure on the criminals controlling Christiania's illegal cannabis market.