The Narcotics Control Commission announced the destruction of approximately one hundred hectares of illegal cannabis plantations located within the Oti Region. According to a MyJoyOnline report officials from the commission spearheaded the mission to disrupt the supply chain of illicit substances in the area. The operation targeted various hidden farms where the plants were being cultivated for commercial distribution.
A statement from the Narcotics Control Commission indicates that the exercise was conducted in collaboration with the Ghana Armed Forces and the Ghana Police Service. This joint enforcement strategy was designed to provide security for the technical teams tasked with uprooting and burning the mature crops. Citinewsroom reported that the exercise lasted several days due to the vast size of the cultivated land and the difficult terrain of the Oti Region forests.
Authorities noted that these plantations represent a significant breach of the Narcotics Control Commission Act of 2020 which regulates the cultivation of industrial hemp and prohibits unauthorized high THC cannabis production. Graphic Online reported that no immediate arrests were made during the thermal destruction process as the suspects allegedly fled the sites upon the arrival of the security forces. The commission is currently working with local intelligence to identify the financiers behind the large scale farm operations.
The Narcotics Control Commission emphasized its commitment to preventing Ghana from becoming a hub for illegal drug trafficking. GhanaWeb reported that similar operations are planned for other regions where intelligence suggests illegal farming is prevalent. The commission urged members of the public to report suspicious farming activities to the police or the commission to assist in the national crackdown on narcotics.