Police in Wakiso district have uprooted and destroyed 3 acres of marijuana plants as well as apprehended two suspects who are alleged to have planted the illicit plant.
The plantation is said to have been located in Bulwanyi, Ssisa Subcounty in Wakiso district.
Following a tip off from a land owner who had discovered the marijuana, a team of Police officers led by ASP Allan Atwine, the O.C for Bulwanyi Police Post in Entebbe intervened and apprehended suspects on top of uprooting all the plants. The uprooted marijuana was disposed at an isolated location as a safeguard to ensure the public is not affected negatively by the smoke produced when burning the plants.
The two arrested suspects currently detained at Entebbe Police Station have been identified as Umar Ssentongo, 28 and Hakim Kibwiika, 35, who are believed to be involved in the cultivation of the illicit drugs.
A statement by the Kampala Metropolitan Police on Monday said that the suspects confessed to having been involved in the trade of marijuana for nearly 7 months and have been having a steady supply market in areas of Kikoni and Kisenyi, Kampala City.
“They have been charged with cultivation of prohibited plants from which a narcotic drug or psychotropic substance may be extracted under SD REF: 08/07/03/2018 (Bulwanyi Police Post). This is provided in the Narcotic Drugs And Psychotropic Substances Control Act (2015),” read the statement in part.
Police have stressed that planting marijuana and other drugs stipulated in the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Control Act (2015), is illegal and that operations to track down people responsible for such activities will continue.
It adds; “We appeal to people who engage in marijuana farming to refrain from such activities for these drugs are dangerous for one’s health and may cause mental illness”.
