Africa-Press – Tanzania. A JOINT operation by security agencies has paid off after the government intercepted 426 grammes of Cocaine and 363 grammes of Heroin between 2019 and 2020. The strategic operation aimed at controlling illicit drugs in the country.
The Deputy Minister of State, Prime Minister’s Office (Policy, Parliamentary Affairs, Labour, Youth, Employment and the Disabled), Patrobas Katambi said in the august House when responding to a question by Malindi legislator Mohammed Suleiman Omar.
Mr Katambi said during the period, 28 tonnes of Indian hemp and 34 kilogrammes of Khat were intercepted with 124 suspects arrested.
“Out of the number, 23 have been sentenced, while 40 cases are in progress involving 83 suspects,” he said.
The MP had in his main question wanted to know government plans in fighting drug abuse in the country, but also asked the number of suspects who had been arrested from 2019.
The deputy minister said in combating drug abuse, the government has taken various initiatives, including enacting new laws on the same, which established the anti-narcotics authority, an agency with the mandate of investigating and dealing with issues related to drugs.
Mr Katambi said they collaborated with various security agencies, including the Tanzania People’s Defense Forces (TPDF) and the marine department of the Tanzania Police Force, where joint operations have been carried out in all the country’s entry points.
“The government has now identified a network of huge drug dealers as well as their mode of transportation which has contributed to the control of entry of drugs into the country,’’ he added
