At first, the snow-free roof seemed odd but harmless — maybe renovations, maybe unusual insulation. But as more storms passed, the bare patch stood out. In the Netherlands, that’s a red flag. Locals finally called police, who knew exactly what to look for: large-scale cannabis cultivation.
Indoor grow operations require powerful lamps and heaters, generating heat far beyond that of a normal household. That heat rises, melting roof snow almost instantly. For officers, it’s like nature’s thermal camera.
Inside the home, police found rows of cannabis plants under artificial lights. It wasn’t small-time; the heat from hundreds of plants had given the operation away. Similar busts followed in cities like Haarlem and Zutphen, where police uncovered up to 500 plants worth tens of thousands of euros.
Authorities launched awareness campaigns urging citizens to report suspiciously snow-free roofs. Despite its tolerant image, Dutch law allows only five plants for personal use — anything more is drug trafficking.
For the neighbors, it became a winter tale to retell. And for police, it was proof that sometimes nature itself tips the balance: in this case, snow told the story.
