The Otjozondjupa police on Wednesday morning discovered a large cannabis plantation with an estimated value of over N$52 million on a commercial farm at Hochfeld in the Okahandja district.
The Namibian Police’s crime investigations coordinator in the Otjozondjupa region, deputy commissioner Edna Nawa, said on Thursday that the shocking discovery was the result of an intelligence-driven operation which commenced at Okahandja on Wednesday morning at about 04h30.
Nawa said the police found both dried and fresh cannabis on the farm, where irrigation systems were being used to cultivate the prohibited plants.
Two male suspects, aged 27 and 43, were arrested on charges of possession and/or dealing in drugs, organised crime due to the involvement of a South African national and racketeering, said Nawa.
On the farm, Nawa stated that a green cannabis plantation measuring approximately 1.55 hectares (about 1.55 football fields) was cordoned off, as the drug was still being cultivated there.
“It was also discovered that five rooms made of corrugated iron sheets were being used for safekeeping, drying, packaging and loading of cannabis on the farm,” Nawa said.
Dried cannabis weighing over 512 kilograms, with a street value of N$5.1 million, was found.
Additionally, packed bags of cannabis weighing nearly 11 000kg with an estimated value of N$10.8 million, and several packed bags of skunk cannabis weighing 725kg valued at N$36 280, along with two half mandrax tablets valued at N$120, were all confiscated bringing the total estimated value to more than N$52 million.
Both suspects are expected to appear in the Okahandja Magistrate’s Court on Friday.
Police investigations into the matter continue.
