Police raid ganja plantations in Udawalawe and Hambegamuwa

The crackdown launched by the government on drug dealers has stemmed the flow of heroin into the country pushing up the price of heroin (brown sugar). This has led to an enormous demand for indigenous drugs such as Ganja (Cannabis sativa) in the Western province. Heroin is smuggled into the country from neighbouring countries in the South East Asia that produce large quantities for exports.

The law enforcement agencies such as the police, the Special Task Force (STF) and the Excise Department in recent times have detected large quantities of Cannabis sativa plants in the jungles of UdaWalawe and the Hambegamuwa. When it became apparent, DIG Staff, Mahesh Samaradivakara at the Police Headquarters alerted the Director Central Anti Vice Striking Force (CAVSF) at Walana, Panadura, SP Palitha Fernando to conduct raids on ganja growing plantations in the deep South in forest reservation at Udawalawe.

Instructed

The CAVSF Director, SP, Palitha Fernando, instructed OIC, Central Anti Vice Striking Force (CAVSF) Inspector Duminda Balasuriya to check the veracity of the information and raid the Ganja plantations.

Accordingly, a police reconnaissance party was despatched to Hambegamuwa by the OIC forthwith. Policemen who posed as lumber jacks mingled with the crowd and stayed at Hambegamuwa to gather vital information relating to Ganja Chenas deep in the forest reservation. On their return to Walana, they briefed OIC Balasuriya about the existence of such Ganja chenas deep inside the forest reservation at Udawalawe. They also told him about the threat posed by marauding wild elephants and trap guns laid by Ganja growers to deter others from straying into their territory.

They said that the Ganja chenas were cultivated by farmers financed by wealthy businessmen in the area. They also told him that Ganja chenas are cultivated September to October before the rainy season begins.

Policemen also learnt that farmers dug wells in the forest reservation for water during the dry season and water was pumped out.

The water was used to cultivate a bumper crop that assures them good dividends. They remain in the jungle for several months to nurture the plants.

During this period they usually visit nearby towns often to purchase food before they retreat to their jungle hide-outs. The surveillance team also gathered vital information regarding bull-dozers. The machines were being used to dig up wells in the reservation. Policemen also learnt that bull- dozer tracks leave an imprint on the ground that leads straight to the Ganja plantations.

Evidence

Having studied the evidence of the reconnaissance team, OIC Balasuriya despatched two teams consisting of 16 policemen led by two sub inspectors of police. Both teams were briefed by the OIC before they left to Hambegamuwa.

They left Panadura around 9 pm and arrived at Janapada Road, Hambegamuwa before dawn. It was a gruelling and an exhausting journey. The policemen had to leave the vehicle at the entry to the forest reservation and trudge on foot for 4-5 miles deep into the reservation beset by wild elephants. They walked along the bulldozer path in pitch darkness armed only with a flashlight not to draw the attention of the farmers.

Finally, they reached the plantation wells with much trepidation around 4.30 a.m. when the area was enveloped in darkness. Even the visibility of the pathway had eroded due to fallen trees making the journey more hazardous for the policemen.

At this stage the group decided to split into three factions and walk along the pipes that carried water to the Ganja plantations.

When they reached the plantation they noticed fully grown five-foot high Ganja plants in a two-acre plot. In the adjacent estate they found 2-3 feet high Ganja plants in one acre. While searching for more plants, they found a large nursery with 100,000 Cannabis sativa plants.

Partly before dawn the raid on the Ganja plantation was carried out. However the police party did not notice any people on the estate at that time. But they continued to search for farmers taking refuge in the huts. But strange enough they did not find a hut in the vicinity of the plantation.

However by proceeding further deep into the jungle they found two camouflaged huts covered with foliage and protected from wild beasts. The huts were searched but nobody was found there.

There was evidence to suggest that huts had been occupied them. But they have fled before police arrived. The police searched another camouflaged hut nearby and found a man engaged in wrapping dried Cannabis sativa into parcels.

Several parcels contained one kilogram of Cannabis Sativa. They were being wrapped to be despatched to the market.

The haul of Ganja weighed 85 kilograms and 900 grams was seized by the police. The total value of Ganja seized was valued at Rs.1,720,000.

Police then took the suspect into custody for possessing Cannabis sativa an offence under the Dangerous and Drugs Ordinance.

Following the discovery the Central Anti Vice Striking Force officers (CAVSF) began destroying more than 90.000 Ganja plants in a three-acre estate. Around 1000 plants were also confiscated to be sent to the Magistrate courts.

Other Ganja plants were set on fire dealing a major blow to Ganja growers in the hinterland.

After the mission was accomplished CAVSF officers retreated from the Ganja plantation before night fall as it was not safe for them to remain there. The seized Ganja plants and the suspect was handed over to the Hambegamuwa Police station by OIC Duminda Balasuriya to be produced in court.

The CAVSF have launched an investigation to trace other suspects who fled when policemen swooped on the Ganja planation.