Residents force drug peddler out of suburb

AN aggressive campaign led by Bulawayo residents that started in Entumbane suburb to flush out drug dealers, culminating in the arrest of dozens of suspects, is spreading across the city amid calls for stronger cooperation with police and other stakeholders to eradicate drug and substance abuse.

Last week crack teams from the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) and the Vehicle Theft Squad (VTS) were deployed to Entumbane and Njube suburbs where several suspects were arrested for dealing in drugs.

Another raid was conducted in the city centre where more suspects were nabbed for dealing in narcotics and other illicit drugs.

Dangerous drugs such as methamphetamine also known as crystal meth, dagga, and Broncleer cough syrup, an over-the-counter cough medicine that is abused by drug users, were confiscated. The suspects have since appeared in court.

On Friday, as pressure mounted on drug dealers to be dealt with, a known suspected drug dealer (name supplied) from Entumbane suburb reportedly vacated a home where she has been staying for years.

Chairperson of the anti-drug committee made up of Entumbane residents, Mr Nkosikhona Mlilo, welcomed the news that the suspected female dealer had moved out of their suburb. “I got a call that two trucks had been seen moving household property from her house and together with other Entumbane drug committee members we went to check out if the news was true.

“We have been pushing for that woman to do the right thing and leave Entumbane because she was a known drug dealer who sold dangerous drugs to young children and the youth,” said Mr Mlilo.

The suspected Entumbane drug dealer reportedly moved to Cowdray Park.

“A lot of drug-related arrests were made in Entumbane last week and residents wanted to see more people, especially the ones who claimed to be untouchable, to face the law. So, I guess the woman felt the pressure and decided to leave.

“Another woman, Nikita, who was also selling drugs to school children was also arrested and residents are happy about that.”

Nikita Mhlanga, a 36-year-old Entumbane woman, was last week arrested for hosting a drug party for school children as young as 12 years old where they abused illicit substances such as Broncleer cough syrup and smoked marijuana.

Mhlanga was picked up by police in the same raid conducted by teams of detectives CID and VTS.

When detectives raided Mhlanga’s home in Entumbane suburb they found school children, school dropouts, and adults engaging in illegal activities.

Among those arrested for taking illicit substances and smoking dagga were a 12-year-old girl doing Grade 7 at a local primary school, a 14-year-old boy who is in Form Two, and an 18-year-old female in Form Three.

Bulawayo United Residents Association (BURA) chairman, Mr Winos Dube, hailed the campaign by Entumbane residents and noted that it had spread to other suburbs.

“The BURA leadership had a meeting with the Bulawayo provincial police commander, (Commissioner Wiklef Makamache) where he assured us that no one, even the so-called notorious drug dealers, is above the law and that residents must feel free to report drug dealers to the police,” said Mr Dube.

“The Entumbane drug campaign is proof that working together residents and the police can achieve a lot.

The campaigns to rid Bulawayo of drugs are spreading to other suburbs with BURA spearheading a robust city-wide campaign where we are working with various stakeholders,” he added.

He said over the weekend BURA together with a team from the Bulawayo Drugs and Narcotics division conducted an anti-drugs campaign at the Iminyela Beer Garden.

“The police are saying there are many ways of reporting drug activity anonymously such as dropping a tip in the ZRP suggestion boxes and the information will be kept confidential,” said Mr Dube.

Over 50 drug dens have been dismantled and more than 10,000 individuals arrested by the Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) in connection with the trafficking of drugs and substances since the start of the year.

National police spokesperson, Commissioner Paul Nyathi, said the arrests were made across the country.

“This was a coordinated approach, as highlighted in the recent cabinet briefing. The numbers speak for themselves as over 10,000 arrests have been made across the country,” he said.

“The message from the ministerial task force, which is steering the fight against drug and substance abuse, is clear. We are pleased with the progress made in the past few weeks in terms of arrests and convictions, indicating that the national action plan launched by the Government is having an impact.”

Government has reiterated its commitment to combating drug and substance abuse across the country, with the Zimbabwe National Drug Master Plan focusing on addressing the public health, socio-economic, and national security challenges posed by such issues.