Aceh military seizes 59 tons of marijuana from 37-hectare field

JAKARTA (JP): More than 59 tons (130,000 pounds) of ganja, or marijuana, were removed from a 37-hectare field in the province of Aceh last week.

Local Military Commandant Lt. Col. Tara said, besides 59 tons of marijuana plants, the operation code-named Operasi Jaring (Operation Netting) also confiscated 10 kilograms of seeds and 25 kilograms of dried marijuana.

"All the marijuana was burned at the site, except for 50 kilograms which is being kept as evidence," Tara was quoted by the Antara news agency as saying Saturday.

In the past 12 months, authorities have discovered 200 hectares of land used to cultivate marijuana in Aceh. In 1989, a military operation seized 100 tons of marijuana in the province.

Tara said that the first information about the illegal farming came from the local people.

Based on the information, Operasi Jaring was launched from July 1 through July 7, involving 40 military personnel and 100 local citizens.

Head of the operation, Let. Col. Rahmat Budianto, said that no one was detained in the operation.

Budianto said that most residents living near the area were unaware that the plants they had cultivated were marijuana.

The military told the local people to be aware of separatist rebels who often lure local people with amount of money so they will plant the drug. The marijuana trade is believed to be a major form of income for separatists in the province.

The exact location of the marijuana field found earlier this month was in Pasir Putih forest, some 140 kilometers away from Kutacane in Aceh.

Tara said he was certain there were more marijuana fields in the province and he vowed to find and destroy them. He said local authorities are determined to crack down on marijuana syndicates operating in and around the province.

"We will exert all of our efforts to crush all marijuana syndicates and fields in this area," Tara said. (11)