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MEMBERS of the public should immediately report to the police any suspicious persons or businesses involved in the supply or distribution of illicit drugs and substances so as to break the criminal web and assist in bringing the culprits to book, the Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) has said.
The appeal comes as the Government has intensified the fight against drug and substance abuse, which has become a menace in the country and across the globe, as it threatens human health, and is linked to the high incidence of criminal behaviour including murder and domestic violence.
This week the Medicines Control Authority of Zimbabwe (MCAZ) blacklisted four pharmaceutical companies and three individuals linked to drug and substance abuse while other arms of Government have activated their systems to curb the vice.
Psychiatric institutions such as Ingutsheni Central Hospital in Bulawayo are reportedly overwhelmed with mental health-related complications, amid reports that nearly 90 percent of patients in the acute wards are admitted for alcohol and substance abuse with over 2 000 more suffering from the same problem in the outpatient department each month.
The problem is also affecting professionals and experts fear this could cripple national productivity as affected workers tend to perform poorly.
Bulawayo provincial police spokesperson, Inspector Abednico Ncube, said law enforcement agents will not tolerate lawlessness and warned that those involved in the dark business of illicit drugs would be arrested.
He urged members of the public to expose illicit drugs dealings, including making reports in cases of officers who might be perpetrating or benefiting from proceeds of such criminal activity.
“If members of the public come across such criminal acts anywhere, they must not hesitate to report to the officer in charge and see if nothing is done,” said Insp Ncube.
“We are in the process of rebranding Bulawayo as a safe investment city.”
There is suspicion that some of the drug lords, especially in Bulawayo, have recruited vendors who sell cheap items like sweets, bangles, necklaces, and snacks in the central business district as a cover up. Others are said to be using their private vehicles as trading zones with no one noticing, sources who spoke on condition of anonymity have said.
It is understood that common drugs sold under the name of vending include cocaine, methamphetamine (crystal meth), cough syrups containing codeine and marijuana, among others.
One of the vendors said the bulk of marijuana, for instance, is reportedly smuggled into the country from the region and alleged that cross-border transport operators, are used as conduits.
“The illicit drug issue is complex and requires buy-in from everyone to be solved. We are happy President Mnangagwa has already taken a bold stance on that.
“However, the concern is the continued presence of these illicit drugs on our streets. They may not be publicly sold but they are there, and the problem is that people are afraid to report and expose these lest they touch a wrong nerve,” said the source.
Another source said the drug dealers frequent upmarket pubs where they meet high-profile clients for business transactions, who buy the drugs either for personal use or commercial sale.
According to the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), by 2030 the number of people using drugs is expected to rise by 11 percent around the world, and as much as 40 percent in Africa alone.
Synonyms for “Drugs”medicinemedicationprescriptionnarcoticpharmaceuticalsmackanti-narcoticsdrug-relatedanti-drug
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