Drug cultivators trying to beat drone surveillance during operations in Kadavu as more than 6,700 marijuana plants uprooted

A new trend has emerged where cultivators are trying to beat drone surveillance during drug operations in Kadavu as more than 6,700 plants confirmed to be marijuana were uprooted from five different farms in the last few days.

Chief Operations Officer, ACP Abdul Khan says drone surveillance images easily picked up irregularities with one of the farms and a team was deployed to search nearby areas and found several pot plants with marijuana hidden nearby.

There was another farm that looked like crops had recently been uprooted, but after removing dead grass and branches from each mound, marijuana plants were hidden underneath.

ACP Khan says the special drug operations team will remain in Kadavu for as long as it is required.

He says they are not going to give up easily on Kadavu and will commit to doing the best they can to reduce the cultivation of the illicit drug.

Khan says at the same time their operations are focused on other elements of the illegal drug trade which includes the buyers and also elements of proceeds of crime.

Another team was deployed to Kadavu yesterday to reinforce ongoing efforts by officers based in Kadavu and the Police Special Response Unit.

Drug operations in Kadavu saw two raids conducted in Nacomoto resulting in the seizure of more than 1000 plants.

Another two raids were conducted in the Lavidi Hills, Nakasaleka whereby more than 5,000 plants were uprooted.

The last raid conducted at Togoni Settlement, Naceva resulted in the seizure of close to 200 marijuana plants.

The owners of the farms are yet to be identified.