A POLICE crackdown on drug peddlers and syndicates has so far netted 143 drug dealers with their bases being destroyed in raids that are being carried out in Harare and Chitungwiza.
This comes as The Herald last week revealed, after
investigations, that some police officers could be offering protection to drug
dealers whose illicit dealings have affected the country, particularly the
youths.
So far police have raided areas like Mbare, Chitungwiza,
Mabvuku, Epworth, Dzivarasekwa, Glen Norah, Mufakose, Southview and Highfield
which are festooned with drug peddlers, who range from pushers to the
suppliers, with links to international drug trafficking rings.
In raids that were carried over the weekend, police busted
drug havens where they recovered drugs such as marijuana, ganja cakes and a
prohibited cough syrup called BronCleer (bronco).
They also found the dealers selling illicit brews such as
“musombodhiya” and illegal aphrodisiacs such as Oto and Blue Diamond pills as
well as skin lightening creams such as Diproson.
Hard drugs such as cocaine and Crystal Methamphetamine
commonly known as “mutoriro”, “dombo” or “guka” were also found at the raided
bases.
In an interview yesterday national police spokesperson
Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi said law enforcement agents are stepping up
the fight against drugs in the country.
“The raids have so far netted 143 drug dealers from areas
such as Chitungwiza, Epworth, Mabvuku and Mbare. Besides arresting the
peddlers, we are also hunting for the kingpins. There is obviously a syndicate
of local and foreign players in this chain,” said Asst Comm Nyathi.
According to Asst Comm Nyathi, police recovered Crystal
Methamphetamine and Ephedrine drugs from Privilege Munetsi, Oto Pills from
Anastasia Murudzirwa (52), and Blue Diamond pills from Marjory Moyo.
One Portia Chekuenda was caught with 46 grams of crystal
methamphetamine, while the house of Faith Sithole (40) in Mbare was also raided
and 7 grams of Crystal Methamphetamine was discovered along with two, 8kgs of
cocaine.
Containers of illicit drugs and blankets were also burnt to
ashes as youths from the neighbourhood used the structure as their drugs base.
As of now, Asst Nyathi said, some of the cases are before
the courts while more peddlers will be brought to face the full wrath of the
law after thorough investigations.
“There is serious drug abuse in the country and this
requires the involvement of all stakeholders in order to bring sanity in the
country. The public should come forward with names of these people who are
destroying the social and moral fabric of our society,” he said.
When The Herald news crew visited Harare’s New Mabvuku
suburb residents close to one “drug base” known as ‘GaBoss’ that was raided on
Saturday, bemoaned the moral decadence that has been spawned by drug peddlers
leading some teenagers to drop out of school.
“They even recruit some of the children to do their dirty
business so that they can remain in the shadows,” said one parent who asked not
to be named for fear of reprisals from the drug syndicates who have deep
pockets.
Mr Toto Makomo (not his real name) said his 16-year-old boy
is now mentally disturbed, something that forced him to drop out of school.
“Our lives are now in danger because of his violent nature.
We are now forced to lock him inside the room to safeguard others from being
attacked,” he said.
In most suburbs, criminal dealers sell dangerous drugs to
adults and children in broad day light, often not taking precautions to avoid
notice, seemingly enjoying protection from some rogue cops.
Some of drug dealers now own buses and immovable properties
from the dirty but lucrative business.
The CID Drugs and Narcotics section recently embarked on an
operation to curb drug abuse code-named “No to drug and substance abuse” and a
number of suspects were rounded up.
According to the police, the illicit drugs in circulation
in the country are classified into the following categories: depressants,
stimulants and hallucinogens, narcotics, skin lighteners, body enlargement
products and sex enhancers.
Cocaine and mbanje are the drugs of choice in leafier suburbs,
while in high density suburbs anything is fair game.
Police are running drug abuse awareness campaigns
countrywide with a view to save the masses from the devastating effects of the
dangerous substances. Herald
0 comments:
Post a Comment