Global cartels turn Zimbabwe into drug hub

Zimbabwe is being identified as an increasingly important node in a global drug trafficking network that stretches across Africa and connects to regions such as Europe, Asia, the Middle East, and the United Kingdom. This assessment comes from the Global Initiative Against Transnational Organised Crime 2025 Report, which highlights how trafficking routes through East and Southern Africa have expanded and become more complex.

The report explains that the region, including Zimbabwe, is no longer just a transit corridor but is also becoming a growing consumption market for drugs such as heroin, cocaine, and synthetic substances. Zimbabwe's geographic position places it along key trafficking routes, linking coastal entry points in East Africa to major markets in Southern Africa. Drugs like heroin are transported from ports in countries such as Kenya and Tanzania and moved inland through a network of road transport into neighbouring countries, including Zimbabwe, Zambia, Botswana, and South Africa.

The report further notes that Zimbabwe is part of a wider system where different global drug flows intersect. Cocaine typically moves from Latin America toward Africa, heroin flows from Afghanistan into the region, and precursor chemicals for synthetic drugs move in the opposite direction from countries such as China and India. This creates a highly interconnected criminal economy in which drugs are produced, transported, stored, repackaged, and consumed across multiple countries.

In addition to being a transit point, Zimbabwe is also being used as a base for drug couriers who transport small quantities across borders and international routes. The report indicates that these networks exploit weak surveillance systems at airports and borders, as well as alleged corruption, to move illicit substances. Southern Africa, including Zimbabwe, is also described as a "filter" zone where drugs are repackaged to conceal their origins before being sent to other markets.

The findings also highlight a growing domestic dimension to the problem, noting that Zimbabwe and the broader region are becoming significant consumer markets. The availability and use of synthetic drugs have reportedly increased since the COVID-19 pandemic, raising concerns about public health, mental health, and rising social challenges.

Overall, the report warns that weak border controls, porous entry points, and increasing demand are contributing to the expansion of drug trafficking networks. It cautions that without stronger regional and national interventions, Zimbabwe's role in this global system—as both a transit hub and a consumer market—is likely to deepen.