DEC harvests 1 tonne cannabis

By KAFULA MUTALE –
NINE small-scale farmers have been arrested in several parts of the country for allegedly cultivating fresh cannabis plants weighing 1.1 tonnes, the Drug-Enforcement Commission (DEC) has said.
One small-scale farmer, who accounted for 510 kilogrammes of the prohibited plant, is on the run and his plants have been uprooted in Lumwe area of Mufumbwe District in North-Western Province.
DEC spokesperson Theresa Katongo said three were arrested in North-Western Province for unlawful cultivation of fresh cannabis.
These were George Katelele, 59, for unlawful cultivation of fresh cannabis plants weighing 392 kilogrammes, John Ngungu, 49, for unlawful cultivation of the same plants weighing 371kg and Fanwell Katelele, 37, also for unlawful cultivation of the plants weighing 344 kg.
“The trio was arrested in Lumwe area in Mufumbwe District of North-Western Province,” Ms Katongo said in a statement yesterday.
The runaway farmer, George Kalota, is being sought by the DEC for planting 510kg of fresh cannabis in a maize field.
Other suspects were in Nchelenge District in Luapula, where the DEC arrested James Kabole, 53, a small-scale farmer of Kaseka Village for unlawful cultivation of fresh cannabis plants weighing 360.96kg,
Angela Chola, 39, another small-scale farmer of Kafwembwa Village for unlawful cultivation of fresh cannabis plants intercropped with maize weighing 115.77kg and Thomas Mwewa, 43, of Kalosha Village, for trafficking in 3.13 kilogrrames of cannabis.
Others are Mashewa Kayu, 23, of Kanyeze area in Kaoma District  of Western Province for unlawful the cultivation of fresh cannabis weighing 48 kg, Edson Chidilima, 48, a small-scale farmer of Chibizwa Village in Choma District for unlawful cultivation of fresh cannabis plants weighing 15kg and Teddy Chishimba, 45, of Katonda area in Kaoma for unlawful cultivation of fresh cannabis plants weighing 3.4 kilogrrames.
All the suspects will appear in court soon.