Emmanuel Kafe
POLICE will now take in for questioning individuals suspected of being under the influence of illegal drugs and intoxicating substances in public, under a new nationwide anti-drug campaign launched in Harare on Friday.
The operation, which is dubbed “No to Dangerous Drugs and Illicit Substances: See Something, Say Something”, is geared towards flushing out drug cartels responsible for distributing illicit substances such as crystal methamphetamine, marijuana and illegal cough syrups.
Ten suspects were arrested in the first few hours of the campaign in Harare after they were found in possession of an assortment of illicit drugs at a police checkpoint in Southerton. The crackdown is a multi-agency effort that involves law-enforcement units and various Government organs.
Police will set up roadblocks at strategic points across communities for stop-and-search operations. Harare Metropolitan Province Secretary for Provincial Affairs and Devolution Mr Tafadzwa Muguti said the authorities are employing a whole-of-government approach to deal with the scourge.
“If we find someone under the influence of drugs, the law says you can be arrested for being drunk or intoxicated in public, so everyone who is high on drugs is treated as a criminal,” he said.
“You will have to tell the police where you found the drugs when you sober up. We will rehabilitate you, but first, we want to know how you got hold of the drugs.”
Police’s drugs and narcotics unit, canine unit and traffic unit are all part of the campaign. On Friday, Munyaradzi Mudyaravanji (34) was arrested after he was found in possession of 50 bottles of the illicit cough syrup BronCleer.
The contraband, he said, was destined for commuter ranks in central Harare.
“This is a whole-of-government approach; we are also working with education, social welfare and health ministries,” said Mr Muguti.
“This is our responsibility as Harare Metropolitan Province; we are fed up.
“We have set up police checkpoints at strategic points to intercept some of these drugs.”
School authorities, he said, must treat drug abuse as a criminal offence and not as a disciplinary issue. Owners of bars and night clubs allowing underage children access to their business premises risk being arrested and having their licences revoked.
Officer Commanding Harare province, Commissioner Wonder Tembo, said: “We are equally concerned with issues to do with drug abuse; we encourage school-going children to shun abusing drugs.
“The operation is ongoing; we will not stop until communities are free from drug lords.
“As police, we will not allow drug lords to continue pushing illegal drugs into communities as this will destroy our nation and families.”