MWE Correspondent
Tanzania’s Drug Control and Enforcement Authority (DCEA) has destroyed 3,117.9 hectares of cannabis farms and arrested 12 suspects during a 16-day special operation conducted in four villages in Kandawale and Kipatimo wards, Kilwa District, Lindi Region.
Speaking about the operation, DCEA Commissioner General Aretas Lyimo said the success was made possible through close cooperation between the authority, local residents, and community leaders in the fight against illegal drug cultivation.
Lyimo said the operation forms part of DCEA’s ongoing nationwide strategy to curb the production of illicit drugs, particularly cannabis, which continues to be cultivated in some parts of the country.
He revealed that investigators discovered large cannabis plantations established on land owned by villages and hamlets, despite government land-use plans intended for lawful development.
Also Read: Tanzania Seizes Nearly Two Tonnes Illegal Drugs Nationwide
“We discovered extensive cannabis farms cultivated on village and hamlet land. Although the government has established land-use plans for these areas, some residents continue to use the land for illegal cannabis cultivation,” Lyimo said.
According to the Commissioner General, between 200 and 250 local residents participated each day in clearing and destroying the cannabis fields, demonstrating the important role communities play in combating drug-related crimes.
Lyimo urged anyone cultivating cannabis, or those aware of such farms in their communities, to destroy them immediately before legal action is taken.
He also called on village and ward leaders to strengthen efforts to eliminate cannabis cultivation within their jurisdictions and warned that strict legal action would be taken against anyone found allowing or failing to prevent such activities.
In addition, he urged managers of national parks and other protected areas to ensure that land under their supervision is not used for cannabis cultivation, stressing that DCEA will continue conducting operations across the country to combat the production, trafficking, and distribution of illegal drugs.
