Arjan, a marijuana producer from Amsterdam, had been on the hunt for rare and untouched strains of cannabis since 1985. VICE joined him and his team as they traveled to Colombia in search of three legendary landrace strains – Limon Verde, Punta Roja, and Colombian Gold.
Colombia is known as one of the most fertile places on earth when it comes to growing cannabis, and while recreational amounts of marijuana are allowed, industrial-scale production remains illegal. It is also one of the top producers of cocaine in the world.
Arjan’s business partner Franco Loja started out as an Italian paratrooper before becoming a grower. Since then, he has been helping Arjan on his mission to find landraces around the world and bring them back to their lab in Amsterdam to develop new varieties of marijuana that can bring in millions each year.
The team’s first stop was Cali where they met El Gato, Arjan’s Colombian contact who would be their guide throughout their journey. This region has become notorious for its drug-related conflicts over recent decades; it saw hundreds of peasant farmers become drug lords overnight when tons and tons of Colombian Gold were exported through the Caribbean to the US during the ’60s and ’70s.
This incredible story is now being documented by VICE in an upcoming documentary that will take viewers along with Arjan and his crew as they attempt to find these historic strains. Join them on their quest for these elusive landraces as well as an understanding of what makes Colombia such an important source for various types of drugs. Don’t miss out–watch this must-see documentary!
