DEC RECORDS 74 TONNES CANNABIS SEIZURE

Over 1,000 people have been arrested and 74 tonnes of cannabis seized
since the beginning of the year, Drug Enforcement Commission (DEC)
spokesperson Betty Mumba has disclosed.

Ms Mumba who was speaking in an interview at this year's Zambia
International Trade Fair (ZITF) said out of the 930 operations carried
out throughout the country, 1,311 people were arrested.

Ms Mumba said 444 of the total people arrested have been convicted
while 945 cases are still pending.

She added that 74 tonnes of cannabis with a street value of K55
billion had been seized during the operations. She said 800
kilogrammes of cannabis seed which was meant for export had also been
seized.

She said the seed was grown in Zambia.

Ms Mumba said other drugs which had been seized were mira and
heroin.

Ms Mumba said of the 1,311 arrested, 1,239 were Zambians, 15
Tanzanians, 12 Somalians and 10 Congolese.

Others were two Americans, three Kenyans, two from Australia and one
Briton.

She said statistics were worrying even if the numbers this year were
far below compared to last year. She said 168 tonnes of cannabis had
been seized last year.

Ms Mumba said the Commission was sure that the number of seizures
won't swell to 168 tonnes by December.

She added that the number of arrests and seizures had reduced because
of the sensitisation programmes DEC had embarked on this year.

She said in the past, the Commission had a lot of cases involving
peasant farmers who cultivated marijuana but had since reduced due to
the deterrent sentences courts were giving those convicted of growing
the drug.

She said the setting up of offices in border towns had also helped in
reducing drug related cases in the country.

Ms Mumba said DEC had now opened offices in Mpulungu, Sesheke,
Chirundu, Samfya and Kashikishi.

She said Mpulungu had been the gate-way because it was the link to
Tanzania, Burundi and Rwanda.

And Ms Mumba has said no Zambian has been arrested abroad for
trafficking drugs.

She said the situation was good for the country and that it would help
build increased cooperation with other countries.

Ms Mumba said DEC had good cases of money laundering but could not
divulge figures.