Police in Homa Bay have intensified their crackdown on bhang cultivation in Gwasi Hills, with over 40 acres of the illegal crop uprooted and destroyed so far.
The ongoing operations are being conducted within the Gwasi Forest, a gazetted water tower covering over 6,000 acres in Suba South Constituency.
Suba Sub County Deputy County Commissioner Sebastian Okiring is leading the operation. Recently, officers discovered five acres of bhang on top of the hill, following a tip-off from local residents who informed authorities about the illegal crops planted in various parts of the hills.
The officers spent several hours reaching the fields. Over the past two weeks, operations in different parts of Gwasi Hills have uncovered over 40 acres of bhang.
The DCC stated that they have established two camps at the foot of Gwasi Hills, in Kinchororio and Kithereka areas, with the aim of eradicating all illegal crops in the hills.
The police are collaborating with other government agencies and non-state actors to initiate large-scale tree planting in the areas where bhang has been uprooted. Additionally, they are working closely with the Kenya Forest Service (KFS) to set up their camps in Gwasi Hills to protect the area from further encroachment.
