Sinokubonga Nkala
Raymond Jaravaza, [email protected]
THE Government remains deeply concerned about the escalating problem of drug and substance abuse, particularly among young people. This scourge poses a significant threat to the nation’s public health, security, economic stability, and social fabric. To address this issue, authorities are accelerating the establishment of a dedicated Drug and Substance Abuse Agency.
The Drug and Substance Abuse Agency will be established after the enactment of the necessary legislation to combat drug and substance abuse, Minister of Finance and Economic Development Professor Mthuli Ncube said in his 2025 National Budget presentation last week.
“The 2025 National Budget will sustain efforts to combat this (drug and substance abuse) menace, including conducting awareness campaigns, equipping drug and substance abuse rehabilitation centres, as well as capacitation of the law enforcement agencies to undertake surveillance and policing of drug dealers.
“Government will also expedite the enactment of the necessary legislation to combat drug and substance abuse, which will be implemented through a Drug and Substance Abuse Agency,” said Minister Ncube
The proposed agency, which will have legal backing, is part of the Zimbabwe multi-sectoral drug and substance abuse plan for 2024-2030 approved by Cabinet in the first half of the year.
The plan outlines a comprehensive strategic approach to address the escalating threat of drug and substance abuse to public health, economic growth, national security and social stability in the country.
Government has made it clear that suppliers of drugs have to be taken to court and cannot be allowed to pay spot fines and released. Courts can impose higher fines and jail terms. With jail terms common for suppliers, a court conviction generates a permanent criminal record.
The Drug and Substance Abuse Agency will be responsible for the enforcement of laws that deal with drug and substance trafficking, use and abuse. It will also coordinate efforts of other support services.
Cases of drug traffickers being arrested with huge quantities of contraband are on the rise. A few years ago a woman from Venezuela was nabbed at the Harare International Airport carrying 5kg cocaine worth US$469 000 in her luggage from Brazil into Harare.
In another case, a 34-year-old South African woman appeared in court after she was arrested at Robert Mugabe International Airport in Harare with more than five kilogrammes of cocaine with a street value of $430 000 loaded in 125 bobbins of white sewing thread.
A Harare court was told that during clearing of passengers, the woman’s red suitcase went through the scan while she went through the green route as if she did not have anything to declare. She was allegedly stopped by suspicious Zimbabwe Revenue Authority officials, who alerted the police. CID Drugs and Narcotics detectives demanded to search her luggage and it is alleged the woman showed signs of discomfort.
Suspecting that she was carrying an illicit consignment, the detectives searched the luggage and discovered 125 black bobbins of white sewing thread containing a whitish powder stashed in the holes.
The powder was tested in the presence of Jack and tested positive for cocaine. It weighed 5 382kg and was estimated at $430 560.
In 2022, a 32-year-old drug trafficker, Beauty Mutashu, was sentenced to an effective eight years in prison for trying to smuggle 3,8 kilogrammes of cocaine worth $304 000 into Zimbabwe from Brazil. She was arrested at the airport with the cocaine concealed in 11 shirts in her luggage.
A few months later Fungai Maguta was sentenced to four years in prison for smuggling into the country 274 grammes of cocaine worth about $22 000. She arrived at the then Harare International Airport with the cocaine hidden in her bottom.
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