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Nqobile Tshili, [email protected] 

POLICE in Bulawayo arrested 1 460 drug peddlers between February last year and this year and recovered illegal drugs worth $62 million.

The arrests come at a time when the Government has strengthened measures to tackle drug substance abuse which has since been declared a national security issue.

Government established the National Committee on Drugs and Substance Abuse to address the widespread abuse of drugs in communities.

Speaking in Parliament during a question-and-answer session on Wednesday, Home Affairs and Cultural Heritage Deputy Minister Chido Sanyatwe said police have made significant strides in terms of arresting drug peddlers. 

She was responding to Bulawayo North legislator Ms Minenhle Gumede who had asked what Government was doing to address drugs and substance abuse in Bulawayo.

Deputy Minister Sanyatwe said the drugs and substance abuse issues are threatening the future and national security with more collaborative efforts are needed to weed out the scourge.

She commended police for nabbing over 1 000 drug lords in Bulawayo within a period of 12 months between February last year and this year. 

“I have no doubt in the commitment of our police officers to eliminate the scourge of drugs. Their efforts are yielding positive results and I am pleased to inform the House that police in Bulawayo, from February 2023 to February this year, have carried out a number of operations such as “Operation No to drugs and substance abuse” and managed to arrest 1 460 suspects,” said Deputy Minister Sanyatwe.

She said from those arrests, a majority of the suspects were youths.

“Of the aforesaid number, 1 267 are the youths under the age of 35 and of those, 58 were suppliers of these illicit drugs. The total value recovered was $62 321 150,” said Deputy Minister Sanyatwe.

She said police have also deployed sniffer dogs at the country’s borders to help detect illegal substances.

Deputy Minister Sanyatwe said Government will continue to capacitate the police with the requisite tools to effectively deal with crime. 

She told the National Assembly that the country received US$137 000 anti-narcotics analysis equipment from China to help strengthen the country’s initiatives to detect drugs.

Deputy Minister Sanyatwe said the equipment will enhance the police forensic laboratories’ operational efficacy in the fight against drugs.

“It is beyond any shadow of doubt that such equipment makes a huge difference and helps the country rebuild the social fabric that has been devastated by drugs. It is however, saddening that while the youth are abusing these drugs which are being manufactured, trafficked and traded in our communities, it will be under everyone’s watch,” she said. – @nqotshili