The DCEA has destroyed a total of 101 acres of cannabis farms, equivalent to 550 kilograms of raw cannabis.

It also destroyed 482 bags of the drug in Kisimiri on Uwalu ward, Arumeru district of Arusha.

The arrests took place following an order by President Dr. Samia Suluhu Hassan to conduct nationwide operations to ensure drugs are eradicated in the country.

A statement issued by DCEA on June 2023, <> said the operation, led by the Commissioner-General of the authority, Aretas Lyimo, in collaboration with other security and security agencies.

Lyimo said DCEA will continue to conduct regular operations in the area, to ensure cannabis is completely eradicated in the region and eventually farmers and the general population living in Kisimiri up and down are abandoning cannabis cultivation and focusing on other commercial crops instead of cannabis.

He said that Prime Minister Kassim Majaliwa Majaliwa, in ensuring the President's order is implemented, has directed research to determine what alternative crops can be grown in the areas that are overgrown by cannabis cultivation.

"In order for local people to be given alternative methods of growing a variety of food and commercial crops instead of continuing with cannabis cultivation, we have contacted the Ministry of Agriculture and the Uwalu County agriculture officer here in Kisimiri, who has already said the research has been done," he said.

Agriculture Officer Samwel Palangyo said that a study by the Ministry of Agriculture through the TARI Tenguru agricultural research centre found that there are crops that thrive in the area such as pareto, carrots and round potatoes and to be an alternative to illegal cannabis crops that are not suitable in the community.