Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), in collaboration with troops of the Nigerian Army 13 Brigade, have destroyed a six-hectare cannabis farmland in Uwet community, Akamkpa Local Government Area of Cross River State.
According to available information, the farmland contained 15,000kg (15 tons) of cannabis.
The agency also recovered 119kg of processed cannabis during the raid, which was based on credible intelligence on illegal cultivation in the area.
Deputy Commander of Narcotics and Deputy State Commander, Peter Bisong, disclosed this in an interview with Nggossips in Calabar on Monday.
Bisong said one female suspect was arrested at the site, while investigations have been extended to identify the owners of the farmland and the cannabis plantation.
“The operation followed credible intelligence on illegal cannabis cultivation in the area. During the raid, one female suspect was arrested at the site,” he stated.
“We have extended investigation to trace the owners of this farm because first we know those farmlands may belong to community or individuals.
“Our invasion will cover all of that to know who are the owners of the farmland and who are the owners of the cannabis farm itself,” Bisong added.
He put the street value of the destroyed cannabis at over N500 million and the recovered processed consignment at N2 million.
The NDLEA official noted that the operation recorded a major success in the fight against drug trafficking, as it dismantled a large-scale cultivation site and led to the arrest of a suspect.
Bisong said investigations are ongoing, with plans for further operations to uncover and destroy other possible cultivation sites in the area.
The latest feat underscores the Cross River Command’s renewed commitment to ridding the state of illicit drug activities, especially cannabis farming, which has continued to pose serious security and health challenges.
The agency has assured residents of intensified raids and collaborative efforts with security agencies to sustain the momentum against drug barons and their networks.
