Skopje, 10 February 2026 (MIA) - Prime Minister Hristijan Mickoski and Interior Minister Panche Toshkovski visited Tuesday the facility housing the 40 tons of marijuana seized in a recent police operation. Authorities said the marijuana was not produced and stored in line with legal protocols, and was supposed to end up on the streets of North Macedonia and Europe.

Interior Minister Toshkovski said the case is a result of carelessness and wrong policies in the past, stressing that the institutions will act decisively.  

“We had the chance to see these 40 tons of confiscated marijuana that were discovered as part of the first stage of the investigation that is underway. A commission at the Ministry of Health has concluded that the marijuana was produced, stored, and kept outside of the established protocols,” the Minister said.

Toshkovski said the marijuana is temporarily stored in an Interior Ministry facility and will be used as evidence in the proceedings.

“All necessary steps are being taken to determine the facts and clear up the case. Unfortunately, the consequences of the carelessness and the catastrophic approach in the past are causing huge harmful effects, that will be a serious challenge to resolve,” Toshkovski added. 

Prime Minister Mickoski said the Government would establish a commission that would assess which legal entities worked in line with the law.

“What you can see behind me is part of those 40 tons of cannabis flower which are the result of misguided policies from a certain period, policies we would never want to see repeated. I expect that today, at a government session, a decision will be made to establish a commission and a team that will examine the operations and determine the facts,” the Prime Minister said.

The Prime Minister stressed that no one is above the law.

“There is no compromise with injustice, no compromise with lawlessness. No one is above the law. Crime today does not pay – all of you who think crime is a profession will be found and severely punished,” Mickoski stressed. 

Mickoski and Toshkovski stressed that the fight against organized crime and corruption will continue at full capacity, and the public will be regularly informed about the results of the investigation.

The 40 tons of marijuana were seized in a recent police operation at several legal entities in the country. The country’s legislation allows for legal entities to grow cannabis for medical purposes provided they have a license and follow legally established conditions. 

Photo/Video: Interior Ministry