Four suspects were arrested by the police in an operation that took place in Penka Michel on June 21, 2014.
The forces of law and order led by the Regional Chief of Judicial police, Senior Superintendent of Police, Oumarou, and under the supervision of the Regional Delegate of National Security for the West, Superintendent of Police, Mbankwene Simon Zimbi, have uncovered four plantations of Indian hemp in Balessing village in Penka Michel Sub-division, Menoua Division of the West Region.
Meanwhile, four suspects namely Tindo Sylvanus, 38, Nguetsa Tatsinkou Jean, 71, Ngoufo Zonet Sakfo, 21 and 12-year-old Kelly Nguimatsa of Ecole Publique, Group II, Balessing, who possessed over 400 kg of dried Indian hemp, were arrested during the operation. The June 21, 2014 operation mounted by police officer, Dalle Mathias, who led the team of policemen to the locality, is occurring one week after one suspect, who is currently awaiting trial at the Bafoussam central prison, was caught in the same locality harvesting Indian hemp.
The operation team of Officer Dalle was on mission to the locality to destroy the farm of first suspect, but to their greatest dismay, they arrived the scene when all had been harvested and carted away. However, out of curiosity, the police inquiry discovered four other farms, leading to the arrest of the four suspects who confessed their involvement in Indian hemp production.
According to the Regional Delegate of National Security, Mbankwene, after the launch of “Operation Fight Drug Abuse and Smuggling” in the region, tonnes of Indian hemp have been caught and destroyed, as more law enforcement attention have been focused towards suspected areas in the region.
He however regretted that among those arrested is a minor of 12 years and an ageing father of over 71, adding that the tragic equation is that most community heads offer these drug producers their protection, rather than giving the administration and law enforcement officers their assistance. That notwithstanding, the 2,000 kg of Indian hemp were seized and burnt at the West Judicial police in the presence of Regional police boss, Mbankwene.
