Osogbo—The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, has commenced night patrols on major  roads in Osun as part of efforts to end the cultivation and use of cannabis sativa popularly known as  Indian hemp.

The state commander of  the agency, Mrs Anthonia Udu, made this known in Osogbo, Wednesday.

Udu said the agency would patrol  all the major roads on a 24 hour basis  for effective surveillance to nab cannabis traffickers.

She declared,”Now that we are approaching harvesting period, the trafficking of cannabis would be on the increase, the criminals do engage different methods in transporting the illicit weeds to deceive security operatives on the roads.

“We have deciphered some of the strategies such as concealing bags of cannabis in water or petrol tankers, vehicle’s roof and other places where untrained person would not suspect.”

The NDLEA boss assured on  the commitment of the agency in arresting members of the  cannabis trafficking syndicates using any of the routes in the state to transport the illicit products to other parts of the country.

She said that men of the command were on surveillance mission  in the cannabis cultivation–zone  and  communities to destroy any discovered cannabis farm before harvesting.

According to Udu, two hectares of Indian hemp  farm   valued at more than N2 million was destroyed at Araromi government reserve forest in Isokan Local Government Area of the state on Oct. 22.

She added that 14 kg of dry weeds was discovered at the farm, “but we were not able to make any arrest because the growers have fled before our men got there.“

Udu said that  inadequate number of  operational vehicles had been hindering  effective raid of Indian hemp produucing  zone and  communities.

She, therefore, said  the command needed urgent financial assistance for smooth operation across the state.

The commander then  appealed to the state government to assist the agency by providing operational vehicles and other logistic items.