Police destroy 8 acres of Indian hemp farms

Correspondence from Volta Region

The Volta Regional Police Command has called on residents to support efforts to combat the cultivation of illegal drugs by providing timely information on suspected Indian hemp farms and related activities across the region.

The appeal follows an intelligence-led operation at Peki Dzake in the South Dayi District, where police officers, working with the Drug Law Enforcement Unit (DLEU), destroyed about eight acres of suspected Indian hemp farms.

The operation forms part of the Police Service's ongoing efforts to curb the cultivation of narcotic drugs and protect young people from substance abuse.

Addressing journalists after the exercise, the Volta Regional Police Commander, DCOP Wisdom Akorli, said the success of police operations largely depends on information received from the public.

According to him, the command acted on intelligence indicating that some individuals were cultivating Indian hemp in the area. A team of officers subsequently embarked on a difficult journey through the bush to locate the farms.

"The police depend on intelligence to succeed in our work. We received information that some people were cultivating Indian hemp around the Peki Dzake area, so we organised ourselves to move to the location," he said.

DCOP Akorli explained that officers trekked for between one and two hours before reaching the site, where they destroyed nearly eight acres of the suspected narcotic crop. He added that another section of the plantation remains to be cleared during a follow-up operation.

He revealed that the suspects fled before the arrival of the police but assured the public that efforts were underway to identify and arrest those responsible.

The Police Commander stressed that the cultivation and abuse of Indian hemp continue to pose a serious challenge to communities, particularly among the youth.

"We are entreating the public to assist the police. Anytime they have information on the cultivation of Indian hemp farms, they should inform us so that together we can reduce this practice in our environment," he said.

He noted that many young people are becoming victims of drug abuse and emphasised the need for stronger collaboration between communities and law enforcement agencies.

DCOP Akorli further assured residents that any information provided to the police would be treated with strict confidentiality to protect informants.

The Director of the Drug Law Enforcement Unit, DSP Richard Dotse Gablah, also appealed for public support, describing the increasing cultivation of narcotics in the region as a major concern.

He said intelligence gathered by the unit led officers to several acres of suspected Indian hemp farms at Peki Dzake, all of which were destroyed during the operation.

"The menace of drugs within the region is becoming something else, and we want to ensure the public volunteers information to the police. Policing is a shared responsibility, and we need everyone to come on board," he stated.

DSP Gablah said the Police Service remains committed to intensifying intelligence gathering and operational activities to identify and dismantle illegal drug networks operating within the region.

He warned those involved in the cultivation and trafficking of narcotics that the police would continue to pursue them.

"We know criminals are always a step ahead, but we are putting in every effort to catch up with them. Wherever they are, we will follow them and ensure they stop this drug trafficking and the proliferation of drugs within the region," he said.

The Volta Regional Police Command says it will sustain intelligence-led operations and community engagement efforts as it seeks to eliminate illegal drug cultivation and safeguard young people from the harmful effects of narcotics.