Online Reporter
Lynnet Khaka-Herald Correspondent
DRUG trafficking is a national crisis that poses a severe threat to public health, security and the rule of law, Prosecutor-General Justice Loice Matanda-Moyo has said.
She also called for an immediate and coordinated national response to combat the scourge.
The urgent call was delivered on her behalf by Deputy Prosecutor General Mr Nelson Mutsonziwa during the opening of a specialised training programme for Anti Drug and Substance Abuse Courts.
The event brought together prosecutors and magistrates to enhance the judicial system’s capacity to handle drug-related cases.
The Prosecutor General emphasised that the country is not facing isolated criminal incidents but a formidable adversary.
“We are confronting a well-organised transnational criminal enterprise that requires a unified and strategic response,” she stated, underscoring the sophisticated nature of the threat.
Matanda-Moyo highlighted the devastating societal impact of drug abuse, particularly on the youth, and called for a significant shift in how the justice system prioritises these crimes.
“We must treat drug trafficking as a serious economic and security threat,” she urged, directing prosecutors to pursue cases with “rigour, consistency and integrity.”
The training workshop is a key part of this intensified effort. Participants will receive instruction on critical areas such as sentencing guidelines for drug crimes and the broader societal consequences of substance abuse, aiming to ensure a more effective and consistent judicial approach.
This strong statement from the nation’s top prosecutor signals a major escalation in the government’s public stance on drug trafficking, framing it as an existential challenge that demands collaboration across all law enforcement, prosecutorial and judicial bodies.
The announcement coincides with the National Prosecuting Authority marking a decade of its anti-crime and anti-corruption efforts.
