Police nabs three with gardens of weed
Police in the northern district of Terego, are holding three locals for illegally growing large gardens of narcotics.
The suspects are Patrick Ciika, 20, Godfrey Ogama, 20, and Yona Aziku, 56, all locals from Obayiya village, Anavu Parish, Katrini Sub-county.
Josephine Angucia, the West Nile Region Police Spokesperson, said police busted the trio following an intelligence led crackdown that resulted from various community complaints.
She explained that the gardens have since been destroyed by police except for a few exhibits transported to Terego Central Police Station. The suspects are currently detained at Terego Central Police Station on charges of production or being in possession of marijuana.
“We launched these operations on 17th September, the law doesn’t allow private individuals to grow, sell, possess, consume or transact any business in Marijuana, as this has negative effects on public health and contributes to serious crimes in the community,” Angucia said.
Police nabs three with gardens of weed
Local authorities in the area say youths smoking weed and opium has led to rising crime, especially theft and domestic violence. They demand a full blown crackdown on the vice so that the gardens are replaced with coffee.
“Opium growing and smoking in Katrini must end. Getting money at the expense of lives is intolerable. We need money, we can get it the right way,” says Moses Mandebo, the chairperson of Katrini sub-county.
The growth, sale or usage of cannabis remains illegal in Uganda. The Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, 2015 legalised cultivation, production, and exportation of medical marijuana and mandated the health minister to issue written consent for medical marijuana.
According to the guidelines, the cultivators or investors must be cleared by the tax authorities, present evidence of value addition to cannabis and have a minimum capital of $5m (Shs18.3Bn) and a bank guarantee of $1m (Shs4Bn).
