Operation Corundum: They locked us up overnight. Without trial, without evidence, without explanation.
Sdílet
June 2026
In the morning, we had a functioning e-shop. In the afternoon, it was gone.
No summons. No court order. No specific charges. Just silence – and a blocked store on Shoptet. This is exactly what Operation Korund looks like in practice for hundreds of legal sellers across the Czech Republic.
What actually happened?
Since the beginning of May 2026, a nationwide inter-ministerial operation with the codename Korund has been underway. Officially, it is aimed at sellers of synthetic cannabinoids and kratom – substances that indeed cause health problems and are sold illegally.
It sounds reasonable. But the reality is different.
The Shoptet platform has broadly blocked dozens of e-shops – including those selling legal CBD products with THC content below the legal limit, properly certified, with all documentation in order. The state pointed a finger, and Shoptet flipped the switch. Without verification. Without distinction.
Numbers the state likes to show
Minister of Interior Metnar proudly presented the results at a press conference:
| What was seized | Number |
|---|---|
| Seized products | ~86,000 pieces |
| Seized kratom | 155 kg |
| Blocked e-shops | 25 |
| Closed brick-and-mortar establishments | 3 |
| Emptied vending machines | 63 |
| Initiated criminal proceedings | 87 |
Impressive numbers. But how many of those 25 blocked e-shops were actually selling illegal goods? You won't find out. The state does not publish this data. Because the answer would be unpleasant.
Shoptet: a platform playing police
Shoptet is a private platform. It is not a court. It is not an administrative body. It has no authority to decide what is legal and what is not.
Nevertheless, based on an unclear impulse from control authorities, it deactivated the e-shops of sellers who had not been convicted, not indicted, and in many cases not even accused of anything specific.
This is a serious precedent. If the state can, through a private platform, liquidate businesses without due legal process, we are in a situation where the law ceases to apply to those it suits to liquidate.
Many affected sellers are now addressing the situation legally. And it is right that they are addressing it.
What else is the state planning?
By the end of July 2026, the government is to submit a new legislative framework:
- New addiction law
- "Lex kratom" – age limit for kratom sales at 21 years
- Excise tax on kratom
- Ban on sales in vending machines
- Strict regulation of online sales
Some of these measures make sense – especially when it comes to truly dangerous substances. But if the new law lumps CBD into the same category as synthetic drugs, it will be the end of the legal cannabis industry in the Czech Republic. And that without any scientific justification.
What are we doing?
We are not standing by idly. We are actively addressing the situation with lawyers. We are documenting everything – certificates, supplier agreements, laboratory analyses. We are preparing to have to prove our legality – even though it should be precisely the opposite.
If you are in the same situation, we recommend:
- Immediately contact a lawyer with experience in administrative or food law
- Document everything – certificates, analyses, invoices, communication with Shoptet
- Find out the specific reason for the blocking – Shoptet is obliged to inform you
- Do not be intimidated – silent capitulation is the worst possible response
Conclusion
Operation Korund may have saved lives. We do not deny that. Synthetic cannabinoids and illegally sold kratom are a real problem.
But the way the intervention was carried out – broadly, indiscriminately, without due legal process – is an example of state arbitrariness that harms legal entrepreneurs, their employees, and their families.
This state shut us down overnight. But we will not shut down ourselves.
Sources: Ministry of Interior of the Czech Republic, Police of the Czech Republic – National Anti-Drug Headquarters, ČeskéNoviny.cz, CNN Prima NEWS, ČT24, NašePraha.cz