South Darfur state destroys 5,000 hectares of cannabis

December 19, 2015 (NYALA) – Police in South Darfur said that it has burned more than five thousands hectares of cannabis and seized 60,870 weed heads in Sango and Al-Radoom areas in the largest anti-drug operation in the area.

South Darfur’s police director Ahmed Osman Mohamed, who addressed the national police day celebration Saturday in the state’s capital, Nyala, said the police managed to destroy 5,000 hectares of cannabis, pointing to fierce clashes with the drugs traffickers.

He noted the police arrested several drugs traders and seized large amounts of cannabis which were in their possession, underscoring the perpetrators would be brought before trial following the completion of the investigation.

Mohamed added the police also seized large quantity of weapons from the drugs traders, stressing they intend to eradicate drugs cultivation in the state besides monitoring drug trafficking from neighboring countries.

Last week, 12 people were killed in clashes between gunmen and drug traffickers in Balbala area in the locality of Al-Fardous, East Darfur state.

Drug trade is spread in the southern localities of East Darfur state due to its close proximity to areas where cannabis is grown such as Al-Radom and Sango in South Darfur state.

Meanwhile, the police director pointed they put in place a precise plan to achieve several objectives including securing primary and high schools exams next March, protecting the planting season and reducing tribal clashes.

For his part, the governor of South Darfur state Adam al-Faki said the regular forces managed to crush rebellion and is currently fighting against drug traders, noting that illegal drugs is a major source of destabilization in the state.

He underlined that the regular forces would make every possible effort to dry out sources of drugs production, saying that illegal drugs pose the same danger as rebellion and tribal conflicts.

South Darfur state is considered one of the major sources of illegal drugs production in Sudan. Cannabis is being cultivated in three main areas in the state including Sango, Al-Radom and East Jebel Marra.

Drug traders usually use small and heavy arms to protect their farms against police raids which led to the killing of several police officers.

(ST)