The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has burst a make shift warehouse for storage of cannabis harvests in Ondo state.
A spokesman of the agency, Mr. Jonah Achema, said in Abuja on Monday that the special operation led to the recovery of 10, 210 bags of cannabis sativa weighing 132.730 tonnes.
According to him, the warehouse was located in Uteh, a remote community in Ondo state.
He vowed that the agency would ensure that Cannabis farmers in Ondo state and other parts of the country suffer more losses in this harvest season.
“The warehouse which belongs to a man simply referred to as Peter, was located in a very thick forest where all the cannabis harvests within the forest are stored for distribution to the illicit drug markets. Peter who is currently at large is said to be the Chairman of Cannabis Cultivators Association in Uteh in Ondo state.
“The storage facility where the consignments belonging to over 30 farmers were stored was guarded by armed men who took to their heels upon sighting the NDLEA officers and men.
“The operation code named “Operation Thunder Strike II”, was jointly carried out by the Agency’s Special Enforcement Team along with the Agency’s Tactical teams from Ondo and Edo State Commands,” Achema said.
He said the agency had earlier stormed the forests in October 2018 where it destroyed several hectares of Cannabis plantations and storage facilities in settlements.
He said the exercise has helped to financially incapacitate the cultivators and made wasted efforts of planting and harvesting.
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