Police: Operation Sasamaki team seizes more than 35,000 marijuana plants in Kadavu

The Operation Sasamaki team based in Kadavu had successfully seized more than 31,000 marijuana plants in the tikina of Ono earlier this week.

Commissioner of Police Rusiate Tudravu says as investigators pursue leads in identifying the owner of the farm, the momentum of operations by the team based in Kadavu has led to the successful seizures of marijuana plants from a number of farms with arrests of suspects.

Tudravu says in another raid, a 19-year-old man was arrested following the discovery of close to 4,000 plants from a farm in the tikina of Yale.

He says in Suva, raids conducted on inter-island vessels have also resulted in seizures and arrests, and on a few occasions, bags containing illicit substances detected by K9 officers were left unattended and investigations are pursuing the owners.

In Keiyasi, Navosa arrests have been made at snap roadblocks as teams aided by technology continue to trek the difficult terrains after identifying farms.

The Commissioner of Police says the morale of officers involved in Operations Sasamaki is high, as everyone is working with a shared mission of disrupting, destabilising and dismantling the illicit drug networks.

He understands many things are being said against the operational efforts, however, they will not stop as as they are committed to seeing this through for the sake of our children, grandchildren and future generation.

Tudravu says despite the challenges faced out in remote and often difficult terrains, officers remain committed to the task at hand.

He says they are anticipating resistance and hostility from those involved, but they will not back down.

The COMPOL is again calling for community support.

He says they understand that there is a reluctance by some in accepting the current approach calling for more efforts on white drugs, and he wanta to give his assurances that the momentum is the same for both.

Tudravu says as long as it is deemed illegal, they are coming after you.

He says seizures and arrests for unlawful possession and unlawful cultivation are also being made in the Southern, Eastern, and Northern Divisions for both white and green drugs.

The Commissioner of Police is also reiterating his zero tolerance policy on members of the organisation working against current efforts.