The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has destroyed 255 hectares of hemp farms in five councils of Ondo State, spokesman Femi Babafemi said in a statement yesterday.

He said 13 suspects were arrested while large quantities of the weed were recovered during the operation that lasted seven days in five forests.

Babfermi said the exercise codenamed ‘Operation Abub’, began at Ogbese forest.

“The following day, 16th of Feb, the Agency’s Strike Force operatives stormed Ipele forest where they arrested Amos Mark; Luke Job; Monday Momoh, and Otunuya Waya while 19 hectares of irrigated cannabis plantations were destroyed. One of the suspects, who escaped during the farm destruction, was later arrested in his house.

In Ebony, Agency officials seized 243,520kg of illicit drugs last year.

Some 238 alleged traffickers were arrested, the agency’s Deputy Commander in the state, Mrs Amaka Ekwalor, said at a briefing in Abakaliki yesterday.

The conference was part of the agency’s week-long programme organised to sensitise youths and women of Izzi/Abakaliki Federal Constituency on the dangers of substance abuse.