News / Local
Bulawayo vagrant establishes ganja farm
26 Dec 2013 at 10:26hrs | Views
Officer in charge of the CID Drugs and Narcotics in Byo Detective Inspector Innocentia M Ncube and police spokesperson for Byo Inspector Mandlenkosi Moyo inspect some of the mbanje plants that were recovered following the arrest of a homeless man at Westgate while Detective Seargent Lovemore Ncube
A homeless Bulawayo man has been arrested for cultivating and processing mbanje (cannabis), right under the noses of unsuspecting Westgate residents.
Hubert Ndebele, 45, a popular vagrant in the city was arrested on Tuesday and immediately whisked to court where he was remanded in custody to Monday.
A total of 65 marijuana plants, ranging from 20 centimetres and 150 centimetres were recovered in the swoop.
Police also impounded processed dagga weighing about 1,7 kilogrammes, with an estimated street value of $1 700. Westgate residents said Ndebele had an unpredictable temper that led them to believe he was mentally challenged.
"We all thought he was mad.
We even told our children to keep away from the hole where he lived.
Thinking back, I now see it was his clever way of keeping people away from his hole, around which he grew ganja," said a Westgate resident.
I think he is a very intelligent man who pretended to be mad. He may have growing weed right under our noses for years," said a resident.
Contacted for comment yesterday, police spokesperson for Bulawayo Inspector Mandlenkosi Moyo confirmed the incident. "Following up on a tip off in intelligence surveillance, police arrested a man suspected to have been growing mbanje at Westgate on Tuesday. The man was arrested in the afternoon and a court appearance was fast tracked about two hours later. He has been remanded in custody to Monday," said Insp Moyo.
He said police in Bulawayo were determined to put an end to substance abuse.
"We do not hesitate to arrest anyone found didtributing drugs. We are warning nightclub owners, where drugs are suspected to be distributed from, that they face arrest." said Insp Moyo.
He said substance abuse was rife, especially among the youth. Said Inspector Moyo; "a majority of traffic accidents involving youths in the city are caused by driving under the influence of narcotics. We have since started collaborating with the traffic section to ensure the drug squad is called to every accident scene to determine if substance abuse is the cause."
Mbanje is an illegal drug and the immediate effects of taking it include rapid heart beat, disorientation, lack of physical coordination, often followed by depression or sleepiness. Some users suffer panic attacks or anxiety.
Uruguay on Monday became the only country in the world to fully legalise use of the drug.
Hubert Ndebele, 45, a popular vagrant in the city was arrested on Tuesday and immediately whisked to court where he was remanded in custody to Monday.
A total of 65 marijuana plants, ranging from 20 centimetres and 150 centimetres were recovered in the swoop.
Police also impounded processed dagga weighing about 1,7 kilogrammes, with an estimated street value of $1 700. Westgate residents said Ndebele had an unpredictable temper that led them to believe he was mentally challenged.
"We all thought he was mad.
We even told our children to keep away from the hole where he lived.
Thinking back, I now see it was his clever way of keeping people away from his hole, around which he grew ganja," said a Westgate resident.
Contacted for comment yesterday, police spokesperson for Bulawayo Inspector Mandlenkosi Moyo confirmed the incident. "Following up on a tip off in intelligence surveillance, police arrested a man suspected to have been growing mbanje at Westgate on Tuesday. The man was arrested in the afternoon and a court appearance was fast tracked about two hours later. He has been remanded in custody to Monday," said Insp Moyo.
He said police in Bulawayo were determined to put an end to substance abuse.
"We do not hesitate to arrest anyone found didtributing drugs. We are warning nightclub owners, where drugs are suspected to be distributed from, that they face arrest." said Insp Moyo.
He said substance abuse was rife, especially among the youth. Said Inspector Moyo; "a majority of traffic accidents involving youths in the city are caused by driving under the influence of narcotics. We have since started collaborating with the traffic section to ensure the drug squad is called to every accident scene to determine if substance abuse is the cause."
Mbanje is an illegal drug and the immediate effects of taking it include rapid heart beat, disorientation, lack of physical coordination, often followed by depression or sleepiness. Some users suffer panic attacks or anxiety.
Uruguay on Monday became the only country in the world to fully legalise use of the drug.
Source - Byo24News
