Drug trafficking in Zimbabwe on the rise

Drug trafficking in Zimbabwe has risen as criminal networks groom mules to smuggle packets of hard drugs into the country, the Medicines Control Authority of Zimbabwe (Mcaz) and ZRP CID drugs and narcotics squad has said.

The smuggling has been blamed for the escalating drug and alcohol abuse among the youths.

Speaking at an awareness campaign on drug and alcohol abuse, Mcaz projects and public relations officer Shingai Douglas Gwatidzo and detective Majaha Mkwananzi from the CID drugs and Narcotics squad said they are on high alert and working tirelessly to reduce drug supply through raids at the ports of entry and on haulage trucks transporting the drugs.

Traffickers lure mules by getting them hooked on drugs or offering lavish pay to transport the drugs into the country, in a sophisticated cross-border smuggling ring.

"There have been raids and arrests of haulage trucks transporting drugs at our country's ports of entry and the law enforcement agency has intensified its operations as we work towards cutting these drugs supply," Mkwananzi said.

He said while the law works on drug supply reduction on the streets, the health sector and the community will also have to work on the demand reduction and ensure that people quit taking in these illegal and harmful drugs.

"The CID drugs and Narcotics office is working tirelessly to apprehend offenders and monitor places where drugs are rampant which are called ‘flash points' where youths, pupils frequent for such activities," said Mkwananzi.

Mcaz said it is working with Zimbabwe Revenue Authority (Zimra) and the ZRP at the ports of entry to intercept the haulage trucks which transport the illegal drugs.

"The problem needs to be addressed at the point of entry, and the fact that these drugs are being sold means there is a market for such, hence the need for awareness campaigns and educational programmes. The raids we have been doing at entry points and in the streets have been successful as we have managed to apprehend individuals who sell illegal drugs, and we urge the members of the public to assist in providing information." Gwatidzo said.

According to Gwatidzo, the past three years has seen the streets marred by unregistered drugs and medicines like skin lightning creams, sexual performance enhancement drugs, and broncleer, proving that there is high demand of illegal drugs.

"These unregistered medicines are being smuggled into the country and being sold illegally, exposing the general public to medicines whose safety is not guaranteed. Looking  at broncleer being the common drug that is being abused, you find that in South Africa broncleer is an over-the-counter drug, resulting in it infiltrating our
streets as people find a way to smuggle the drug inside the country," Gwatidzo said.