In two separate successful operations, the Royal Solomon Islands Police have seized over 500 marijuana plants and arrested ten people.
On Wednesday 26 November 2008, Tetere Police conducted an operation at Tatau Village, North East Guadalcanal. Officers discovered 189 marijuana plants after acting on information from the public.The plants were uprooted and seized by Tetere Police and an investigation into the owners has commenced.
Today, in an early morning raid, detectives and officers based at Central Police Station swooped on the New Zealand Camp area after information was received about a large marijuana garden.
Two teams of police arrived at the area at approximately 6:00am and found a garden that contained mature marijuana plants. Police seized approximately 400 plants and arrested ten people aged between 18-years-old and 35-years-old during the operation.
Provincial Crime Investigation Officer for Honiara City, Inspector Jack Balaga, congratulated the officers involved in the successful operations and said that police will continue to apprehend people that insist on growing drugs.
"The officers from Tetere and Honiara have made some excellent progress in the battle to stop illegal drugs hitting our streets. Uprooting over 500 marijuana plants in two separate operations is an outstanding result and I would like to congratulate the officers involved.
"Ten people were apprehended by Honiara Police. Police will continue to identify locations and individuals that want to grow marijuana. We will charge anyone found growing marijuana and put them before the courts," he said.
The ten people arrested as a result of the New Zealand Camp operation, are expected to be formally charged in the coming days.
Press Release (Police Media)