Johannesburg – A team comprising of the Hawks, crime intelligence, K9 unit and other law enforcement entities on Monday pounced on two white suspects for allegedly growing dagga in a vertical farming at their farm in Lady Grey farm in the Eastern Cape.
The arrests of the suspects aged 35 and 65 occurred in East London at their 1, 200 hectares farm, which is mainly used to breed livestock. However, the farm is allegedly also used as a hydroponics dagga plantation in a nicely built vertical farm to grow hydroponics dagga.
Hawks spokesperson in the province, Captain Yolisa Mgolodela said that the police had heeded a call from a tip off that the farm was operating as a dagga plantation.
“Our team had set a trap for the suspects, where a number of purchases were successfully done and surveillance conducted at the farm. On 7 February, the team proceeded to the farm in Lady Grey where they met a 35-year-old man who is alleged to be the consultant of the dagga farm owner who was absent at the time. The main purpose of the farm is to plant, cultivate, dry and sell dagga,” she said.
Mgolodela added that plants and dry dagga which worth the street value of R600 000 were confiscated.
“We have also identified a R4 million worth of structure that is reported to be used in the processing of the plants. Our investigation led us to Aliwal North where a 65-year-old man was arrested for numerous charges of dealing in dagga. More arrests are imminent as investigation is in progress,” said Mgolodela.
The suspects will appear at Lady Grey and Aliwal North Magistrates’ courts soon.
Watch the video of dagga plantation below:
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