(The Vincentian)- Commissioner of Police (CoP) Colin John has confirmed that last Tuesday’s police raid on a marijuana farm at Richmond Vale belonging to Cecil Hamilton Edwards, was not authorized by the hierarchy of the Police Force.
And the top cop has assured that measures would be taken to ensure that a report is submitted as to why this action occurred.
John’s comments came while speaking to THE VINCENTIAN on Thursday.
The Commissioner said that the policy of the government is that the police should be more tolerant with respect to the cultivation of marijuana during this period when a Marijuana Amnesty is about to be implemented, and there should be no eradication.
John said that the policy of tolerance and non-eradication was confirmed at a meeting of all senior officers, and it should have been filtered down to all police officers.
Information is that the farm in question was raided by a squad of the Rapid Response Unit (RRU), around 1pm on Tuesday.
Two men who were met on the farm were arrested but subsequently released without charges.
John said that according to his information, the police were patrolling the area, saw the field and chose to enter.
THE VINCENTIAN understands that the police seized about 60 to 70 pounds of marijuana, already harvested, and which Edwards was hoping to sell under the Amnesty.
Edwards, it is understood, has formed a partnership with Traditional Cultivators, and has applied for a traditional cultivator’s license.