Police made a breakthrough in arresting four suspects between the ages of 29 and 44 in Melville on Friday evening following the discovery of a dagga plantation at the backyard of a house in Westdene on the same day earlier. They were arrested in a house where the dagga was found in a refined form and in different stages of processing. Suspects are due to appear in the Johannesburg Magistrate Court tomorrow on charges of dealing in dagga.
On Friday midday police followed up information on a house in 4th Avenue, Westdene. On entering the house, they discovered a dagga plantation at the backrooms of the main house. It was a very sophisticated plantation in a laboratory form where different equipment was used. These equipment included lights, back-up batteries, plant pots, manure and different types of chemicals. The growing operation and dagga plants may be valued at several thousands of rand. Nobody was found in the house. Suspects were arrested on a follow-up investigation.
Police are still looking for the owner of the house to question him/her about the plantation.
It is believed that this sophisticated dagga plantation was the work of a syndicate dealing in dagga and other drugs in Johannesburg. There is a possibility that part of the syndicate’s market is the students in the surrounding universities and night clubs. More people may be arrested as investigation continues.
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