Pubdate: Sat, 08 Mar 2003
Source: Times Of Zambia (ZA)
Copyright: 2003 Times Of Zambia.
Contact:  http://www.times.co.zm/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/2871
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/pot.htm (Cannabis)

DEC ARRESTS 533 DRUG DEALERS IN 3 MONTHS

The Drug Enforcement Commission (DEC) has arrested 533, people of whom 515 
are Zambians since the beginning of the year for unlawful possession of drugs.

The commission says it has already secured 183 convictions through the 
courts of law while illicit drugs estimated at K9.20 billion have been 
seized between January 1 and February 28, 2003.

DEC acting public relations officer Trevor Malambo said in Lusaka yesterday 
that among those arrested were 515 Zambians, six Britons, three Somalis, 
three Congolese from the DR Congo. Others included two Zimbabweans, one 
Angolan, one Tanzanian, one Lebanese and one Irish.

Mr Malambo said the largest quantity of drugs seized was that of cannabis 
with 12.1 tonnes followed by miraa/khat weighing 16.3 kilogrammes.

He said six people were also arrested for unlawfully cultivating and 
trafficking in 93.45 kilogrammes of cannabis worth K70.09 million.

He said the five were arrested in Chief Chitina's area and warned that the 
commission would live no stone unturned in its efforts to get rid of 
illicit drugs in the country.

He said this was timely warning to all those involved in drugs trafficking 
or cultivation to immediately stop before the law visits them.

Mr Mulenga said all persons arrested would appear in court soon.

Meanwhile, the commission says it would continue to monitor Mpongwe farming 
area which had become prone to cannabis cultivation and where 75 
kilogrammes of cannabis plants were uprooted from a maize field in Lukanga 
settelement scheme on Thursday.