The Drug Enforcement Commission (DEC) has arrested 35 people countrywide for unlawful cultivation and trafficking in various quantities of cannabis.
DEC Public Relations Officer (PRO) Theresa Katongo confirmed this in a statement released to ZANIS Lusaka today.
Those arrested include Christopher Kunda, 47, a peasant farmer of Mwengwe village in Kapiri Mposhi District for trafficking in 13.23kg of loose cannabis and Israel Kalolo, 22, of Mupeta village in Serenje District for trafficking in loose cannabis weighing 7.05kg.
Others include Majory Chibesa, 27, a peasant farmer of Shikapande village in Nchelenge district for trafficking in 2.404kg of loose cannabis, Samuel Chola, 24, a peasant farmer of Seketeni village in Kaputa district for trafficking in 2.436kg of loose cannabis and Philip Salungu, 33, of Mabebe area in Kabompo district for trafficking in loose cannabis weighing 1.2kg.
Ms. Katongo said the Commission in Northern Province has arrested Oreen Mwansa, 27, a peasant farmer of Chisutula village in Kasama District for unlawful cultivation of fresh cannabis plants weighing 17.4kg.
Meanwhile, Ms. Katongo further disclosed that the Commission in Lusaka has arrested a 47 year-old Somali national for allegedly trafficking in 33 bundles of Miraa.
She identified the suspect as Burhan Abdi, 47, a businessman of Chaisa Compound who trafficked in 33 bundles of miraa weighing 6.6kg.
She added that Patrick Kafwebu, 44, alias ‘Gala’, a Lusaka businessman of Makeni area was caged for trafficking in 12 rocks of cocaine.
She cautioned people to desist from cultivation of cannabis and engaging themselves in illicit activities as they risked being prosecuted.
The DEC Spokesperson said all 38 suspects would appear in court soon.
Let them just legalize the EYE grain! Its God’s creation.
This DEC is now worse than ZP, why go into arresting members of The Green Party? Pres. Sinkamba need to bail out those hardworking farmers.
Arrest people who are abusing government, not people who want to earn a living due to failures of your so called government (SIDO)
The need to revisit racist laws created for the benefit of foreigners is long over due…Dobo is African until the whiteman came with his ideas…and messed you up!