Cannabis cultivators in custody, plants set ablaze

by Jayampathy Jayasinghe

An eight acre Cannabis sativa (Ganja) plantation located in the elephant populated jungles off Udawalave in the Sooriyaara was destroyed when a police party from the Cental Anti-Vice Striking Force (CAVSF) raided six Chena cultivations last week. Three suspects were taken into custody following the detection.

The acting OIC of the Central Anti-Vice Striking Force, Inspector Duminda Balasooriya said about fifteen policemen who took part in the raid had uprooted more than 25,000 plants of Cannabis sativa (Ganja) worth Rs. 8 million in the Udawalava jungle and set them on fire. Acting on a tip off, fifteen policemen led by Inspector Duminda Balasooriya proceeded to Sooriyaara in Thanamalvila last Monday.

After arriving at Sooriyaara around 6 a.m. they proceeded another 4 miles into thick jungle at Udawalave to raid a house of a wealthy drug dealer.