Fourteen tons of dagga were found in the mountains of the Eastern Cape and three people were arrested in an operation running from last Wednesday to Friday, police said.
Two unlicensed firearms and 85 rounds of ammunition were also confiscated.
Superintendent Mzukisi Fatyela said the dagga is harvested at this time of the year.
”We knew it was their harvest time and that buyers would be coming from the big cities, so we had this operation,” he said.
The dagga was found in the areas around Lusikisiki, Flagstaff, Port St Johns and Libode.
Fatyela said it was a difficult operation because the harvested dagga was hidden in valleys and mountains.
”It rained a lot and our vehicles got stuck in the mud. It really wasn’t easy.”
The organised-crime unit, mounted police unit, dog unit and the area crime combating unit took part.
The people who were arrested, two women and a man, would appear in court soon.
Fatyela said the dagga was being burnt on Friday. — Sapa