Cannabis cultivation raided in Thanamalwila

Rasika Somarathna

Excise sleuths raided a 10 acre cannabis cultivation in the southern jungles off Thanamalwila and destroyed 23,100 plants valued at over Rs. 36 million ready for plucking.

A Department spokesman said a 30 member team had made a two day arduous journey into the dense jungles, to raid the cannabis cultivation, after a member of the public alerted the Excise Commissioner General D.G.M.V. Hapuarachchi.

During the raid, considered as the largest of its kind in recent history, carried out by the Southern Special Detection Unit, officers also took into custody eight suspects.

An officer who participated in the raid told the Daily News that they had detected the cultivation after travelling for more than 10 km into the thick jungles in Hampegama, Mahapalessa.

The massive cultivation consisting of eight lots and spread across 10 acres was also well hidden with a separate growth of banana plants as a cover up.

The cultivation had being well maintained, with fertilizer and chemicals also being used.

At the time of the raid, the plants were six to seven feet tall and were ready for plucking within two weeks, he added. The suspects are to be produced in Court shortly.

The raiding team consisted of 30 members including Senior Officers D.A. Dayarathne, S. Bodaragama and Dheera Gunesekera with officers Jayantha de Silva, T. Mendis, H. Asela, U. Jayasinghe also taking part.