National

Friends launch campaign to help Estremoz hemp farmer pay court defense

Published

4 years ago

August 24, 2021

Photo: DR

The friends and family of Barry McCullough, the industrial hemp farmer detained by the GNR on the 28th of July for “suspected drug trafficking”, launched a campaign to help fund the costs of your defense in court.

With this initiative (which consists of donations through Paypal) the friends hope to get at least the 1.500 euros that Barry has already spent on starting the process, but the costs “will increase”.

Barry, 42 years old, of English nationality, was arrested on 28 July, accused and his hemp plantation completely destroyed. He spent a night in jail, his computer and cell phone were seized and the next day he was brought to court. Among the coercive measures, the term of identity and residence was applied, with mandatory weekly presentations at a police station and impossibility of leaving the country for the following 90 days.

In the image of the seizure you can see the bag of hemp seeds that Barry imported from France. Photo: DR | GNR

The arrest would take place in an operation carried out by the Criminal Investigation Nucleus of the National Republican Guard (GNR), based on “information” not disclosed by the GNR. On the same day, the Évora District Command issued a press release, widely broadcast by the media, where he said that the military had "seized more than 450 cannabis plants” and that “the product already prepared would give about 50.000 individual doses”, in a “value of more than 500 thousand euros”. It also mentioned that ““the suspect assumed to be the owner and producer, not having any type of authorization for the cultivation or sale of this plant.”

In an interview with Cannareporter, Barry McCullough guarantees that he cultivated “industrial hemp”, for which he “had already obtained authorization in 2018 and 2109”, but confesses that, this year, he “still awaited the final approval of DGAV”, after two exchanges of contracts. e-mails and documentation with Teresa Pais Coelho, Head of the Varieties and Seeds Division (however replaced by Conceição Carvalho, last July). The response was delayed and, fearing the same situation as in 2020 (in which the DGAV did not issue permits), Barry decided to grow “only 1 kilo of seeds”. The aim was to “experience the performance of the plant in the organic production of hemp seed oil”. Cannareporter had access to the documentation sent, but Barry admits that “maybe he got lost in the translation” of the new rules and new legislation, published in Order No.

Farmers complain of blockages to hemp cultivation in Portugal

This is not an unprecedented situation in Portugal. Since 2018, several farmers have complained of “persecution” on the part of the police forces and of “inaction” or “dual criteria” on the part of the DGAV. Does it make sense to block or not encourage the hemp industry in Portugal? Who is responsible for the unnecessary costs to farmers and taxpayers of the endless court cases that will likely end up being shelved?

Cannareporter spoke with Barry McCullough, the GNR, the DGAV, farmers, lawyers and industrial hemp associations in Portugal, to try to understand the contours of this and other known cases of hemp seizures in Portugal. This information will soon be published exclusively on Cannareporter's Patreon Newsletter, and in the paper edition of Cannadouro Magazine (On newsstands September 21).

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[Disclaimer: Please note that this text was originally written in Portuguese and is translated into English and other languages using an automatic translator. Some words may differ from the original and typos or errors may occur in other languages.]

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Laura Ramos

With a degree in Journalism from the University of Coimbra, Laura Ramos has a postgraduate degree in Photography and has been a Journalist since 1998. Winner of the Business of Cannabis Awards in the category "Journalist of the Year 2024", Laura was a correspondent for Jornal de Notícias in Rome, Italy, and Press Officer in the Office of the Minister of Education of the 21st Portuguese Government. She has an international certification in Permaculture (PDC) and created the street-art photography archive “Say What? Lisbon” @saywhatlisbon. Co-founder and Editor of CannaReporter® and coordinator of PTMC - Portugal Medical Cannabis, Laura directed the documentary “Pacientes” and was part of the steering group of the first Postgraduate Course in GxP's for Medicinal Cannabis in Portugal, in partnership with the Military Laboratory and the Faculty of Pharmacy of the University of Lisbon.