The Secretary of State, in Maputo province, orders the destruction of farms used for the clandestine cultivation of cannabis sativa, known as soruma, in Matutuíne district.

Victória Diogo made the demand after receiving reports of the existence of clandestine machambas dedicated to the production of soruma in that region.

The Governor urged the local authorities to take urgent measures to stop the practice, demanding a coordinated work between the leadership and the Police of the Republic of Mozambique (PRM).

Victória Diogo was speaking during the Advisory Council of the administrative post Katembe N'sime, in the scope of a work visit she made to the Matutuíne district.

"Here in the Matutuíne district there are soruma farms. It is forbidden!" said the official while calling on PRM to maintain confidentiality and protect whistleblowers. "We have to sensitize young people not to drink and not to use drugs, we have to work in schools and communities.

In recent times there has been an increase in drug consumption in school grounds, following the circulation of various narcotics, including soruma, in the city and province of Maputo.

Recently, the police seized 15 kilograms of cannabis sativa in the neighborhood of Liberdade, in the city of Matola.