Mbabane – As part of its nationwide anti-narcotics campaign, code-named Operation Thunder, the Royal Eswatini Police Service (REPS) yesterday destroyed three hectares of dagga fields and large quantities of harvested dagga in the Nhlambane area, Sihhoye, under the Tshaneni Police Station jurisdiction.
The fields, located along the Nkomanzi River, were discovered and destroyed as part of ongoing efforts to disrupt the illegal cultivation and trafficking of cannabis in the country. The police said the operation is designed to send a strong message that no region is excluded and no cultivation site is too remote for detection.
According to police statements, Operation Thunder is an intensified anti-drug campaign aimed at identifying and eradicating hidden cannabis plantations. Deputy Police Information and Communications Officer, Assistant Superintendent Nosipho Mnguni, said the police are using intelligence, aerial reconnaissance, and mobile units to locate and destroy illegal dagga farms across the country.
She further stated that REPS remains steadfast in its commitment to keeping communities drug-free and safe. “We are intensifying our field operations using intelligence and aerial support to locate hidden plantations,” she said.
Operation Thunder has already produced several notable results in recent weeks. For example, the anti-drug unit recently dismantled a secret dagga farm at Sigombeni, where officers seized 440 kilograms of harvested cannabis.
Authorities have also linked dagga-related activities to an increase in violent crimes, including murder, reinforcing the need for continued operations of this nature.
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