Online Reporter
Freeman Razemba-Senior Reporter
POLICE have destroyed a tonne of mbanje, cough syrups, illicit beverages and other unregistered drugs recovered from dealers and peddlers following the finalisation of related court cases.
The police and relevant authorities are overseeing the burning and disposal of the seized substances at Sally Mugabe Central Hospital in Harare.
Items destroyed include 1 000kg of mbanje, 394,46 litres of cough syrups, 366 grammes of crystal meth (mutoriro), 28,7 litres of illicit beverages and 96,1kg of skin lightening creams.
In an interview, national police spokesperson Commissioner Paul Nyathi said the operation against drug dealers will continue until there is sanity across the country.
He urged the public to keep supplying information on suspects.
On Thursday, Zimbabwe Republic Police Commissioner-General Stephen Mutamba said the police service would continue collaborating with communities in the fight against crime.
“Without doubt, the old adage that we are the fish and the communities are the water remains as relevant today as ever.
“Our approach must therefore not be prescriptive, but collaborative; focused on building meaningful and productive partnerships with the communities we serve. At a time when the country is confronting the growing menace of drug and substance abuse, such collaboration is essential,” he said.
Comm-Gen Mutamba said the hidden operations of drug peddlers, the silent struggles of addiction, and the criminal activities that accompany them were often well-known within communities, even when they remained obscure to law enforcement.
The destruction of seized narcotics is a standard international procedure mandated by several United Nations drug control treaties to prevent illegal substances from being diverted back into the black market.
Many countries in the region conduct large-scale, public drug disposal exercises to demonstrate their commitment to law enforcement
The South African Police Service (SAPS) regularly carries out high-profile destructions. In March 2025, authorities destroyed drugs worth R340 million in the Western Cape. This followed a massive operation in October 2023, where R800 million worth of illicit substances were disposed of in Gauteng.
Zambia’s Drug Enforcement Commission (DEC) frequently incinerates large hauls of cannabis and other drugs following court rulings. In February 2026, the DEC destroyed 6.7 tonnes of cannabis in the Lundazi District alone.
Law enforcement agencies and international bodies highlight several critical advantages to this practice.
Public destruction ensures that seized drugs are not stolen from evidence rooms or “recycled” back into the community by corrupt officials.
Conducting these exercises in the presence of the media and judicial officers builds public trust and shows that the “war on drugs” is being finalised through the legal system.
How many tonnes of used clothes were destroyed? We cannot boast about destroying drugs when items that have a potential to destroy the entire economy are left on the streets. Mupedzanhamo is a legal market that is allowed to sell illegal contraband yet police turn a blind eye. Our towns are littered with used clothes, shoes, and all sorts of trinkets. These double standards defeat the whole purpose of having laws and putting trust in the police. Steven Mutamba must be told in no uncertain terms that he is failing to provide effective policing strategies.