Africa-Press – Namibia. THE Erongo police say drug lords are allegedly bribing community members with monthly food parcels to keep quiet about their illegal activities.
Erongo community affairs unit commander inspector Ileni Shapumba says drug dealers use this method to prevent community members from sharing information with the police. This, according to him, has created increased support of drug dealers in communities.
“It is such a reckless position our community members are taking. Do you know the impact of drugs and what it can do to society? Why are you accepting food from drug dealers, and then you keep silent about it? Yet you want us to fight drugs,” he says.
Shapumba says the police have also discovered that some drug dealers’ homes are fitted with surveillance cameras monitoring police officers’ movements.
This is also said to be monitored via their cellphones. He says girls who are reported missing often ‘disappear’ at these drug houses for up to three days.
“This is a concern for us. We have picked up that information. We are going to nab it if it continues,” he says.
Shapumba says the police are currently investigating a case of a missing teenage girl who has phoned her mother and instructed her not to look for her, and not to involve the police. He says this could be related to suspected drug dealers.
Since the beginning of this year, the Erongo police have arrested and charged 10 Namibians and two foreign nationals aged between 19 and 36 for dealing drugs, alternatively being in possession of dagga, mandrax tablets, and crack cocaine.
The suspects were apprehended at Swakopmund, Omaruru, Karibib, Walvis Bay, and Usakos. The drugs have a combined street value of N$79 730, and were found in houses, a car boot and a barbershop at Karibib, Shapumba says.
For More News And Analysis About Namibia Follow Africa-Press
