43pc of scholars have access to drugs

09 Sep, 2022 - 00:09 0 Views
43pc of scholars have access to drugs The Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) has vowed to work tirelessly to weed out drug peddlers and abusers as the country intensifies the anti-drugs campaign

The ManicaPost

 

Samuel Kadungure
Senior Reporter

MANICALAND is being used as a conduit and a destination for smuggled illicit drugs, leading to a sharp increase in local consumption and peddling of narcotics even among schoolchildren, The Manica Post has established.

The influx of drugs through the porous border has become a major concern for crime and health experts.

Drugs commonly abused in local hotspots include cocaine, morphine, heroin, ecstasy, cannabis, broncleer (bronco), mandrax, hashish and crystal methamphetamine, commonly known as mutoriro, dombo or guka.

The drugs cost between US$1 for entry ones (alcohol, marijuana, cough syrups and prescription pills) and US$80 for those that are more addictive and capable of keeping abusers high for longer periods of time.

Marijuana is mostly grown in border areas of Chipinge, Chimanimani and Nyanga, while some of it is being smuggled from Mozambique and Malawi.

Cocaine, heroin and other hard drugs are smuggled from South Africa, Latin America and Afghanistan.

According to a research conducted by the Anti-Drug Abuse Forum (ADAF) from 2017 to date, about 43 percent of high school learners have either used or came into contact with some illegal drugs.

Both the ADAF and the police’s Drugs and Narcotic Unit revealed that data at hand show that a high number of drug abusers are mostly males between the ages of 11 and 40 years.

Last year, President Mnangagwa declared war against drug dealers and established an inter-ministerial taskforce to deal with the problem.

Subsequently, police launched an operation against drug abuse targeting illegal dealers and users throughout the country.

Between January and November 2021, there were 7 263 arrests linked to drug peddling and consumption across the country.

Statistics also show that in 2021, marijuana or dagga topped the list of drugs that the police confiscated, with crystal meth coming second.

The Manica Post understands that illicit drugs are distributed in the streets, bars, homes, schools and workplaces.

A crystal meth peddler in Mutare said his suppliers are in Mbare and South Africa.

“I sell it for between US$15 and US$20 per gram, depending on the location, availability and the customer.

“It is on high demand in surrounding illegal mining areas because of its ability to keep the illegal panners high and hyper-active for long hours. We get supplies from drug lords in Mbare and South Africa,” he said on condition of anonymity.

Deputy Manicaland provincial police spokesperson, Assistant Inspector Wiseman Chinyoka confirmed the high prevalence of drug abuse and peddling in Manicaland before referring further questions to the Drugs and Narcotics Unit.

Detective Assistant Inspector Ndiudzei Mugawa from the Drugs and Narcotics Unit also confirmed this and went on to say women constitute the bulk of drug smugglers and peddlers in Manicaland.

“We arrest an average of 30 peddlers monthly and only last week we arrested two women who had cocaine in Yeovil, Mutare. Women are well travelled and constitute the bulk of smugglers in the province.

“Manicaland is being used both as a conduit and a destination for smuggled illicit drugs. Its proximity to the long porous border with Mozambique has resulted in smugglers using so many entry points to smuggle illicit drugs into the country,’ he said.

The two female suspects arrested in Mutare last week were allegedly abusing cocaine, with police recovering a 0.04 gram sachet with a street value of US$80.

Detective Assistant Inspector Mugawa said some drug abuse cases have been successfully prosecuted, with some culprits being fined, incarcerated and ordered to perform community service.

“Drug trafficking is controlled predominantly by the well-connected people, most of whom are behind the heroin and cocaine entering the country. With drugs, it is about possession and usage, and sometimes we fail to arrest the suspects due to conspiracy of silence.

“Unlike other offences, drug abuse usually has no complainants and it is difficult to penetrate when you do not have a mole inside the cartel,” he said.

ADAF executive director, Mr Collin Mapfumo said porous borders and corruption involving law enforcement agents is promoting criminality and drug peddling in Manicaland.

He also said the organisation’s research findings from 2017 to date have revealed that about 43 percent of high school learners have either used or have been exposed to illegal drugs.

Mr Mapfumo said some young people turn to consumption of or trading in illegal drugs to drown their sorrows or as a source of income.

“Cannabis and codeine syrup are the most common, but currently there is an increase in crystal meth and illicit alcohol (spirits and brandy) abuse. Neighbouring countries are operating kitchen laboratories for the crystal meth which is being smuggled into the country. Hard drugs such as cocaine are expensive and are mostly found among the wealthy,” he said.

“We are reliably informed that we are dealing with well-connected individuals and groups who operate as syndicates involving ordinary individuals and high ranking policing and border control officers.
“There are well known drug godfathers in Mbare who probably distribute illicit drugs nationwide and cleanse their dirty money by donating it to charity,” said Mr Mapfumo.
ln response, Detective Assistant Inspector Mugawa said efforts are being made to weed out drug peddlers and the bad apples in the police force.

Mr Mapfumo chipped in: “lt is important to note that a growing number of young girls are now abusing drugs. It is difficult to quantify the victims we are dealing with in Manicaland or countrywide. We also need to point out that we lack a national data collection mechanism in our health and judicial systems to allow us to gather drug-abuse related illnesses and drug-abuse related crimes.

“The effects are largely documented and diverse, and range from interpersonal violence which manifests as domestic, political or public violence. Then there is pressure on the health service delivery system, loss of the economically active age group, as well as social and moral decay,” said Mr Mapfumo.

“All urban areas are experiencing this scourge, with the major cities like Mutare, Harare and Bulawayo leading because of high population density and rapid urbanisation,” he said.
Rusape-based medical practitioner, Dr Thomas Nyamudya said crystal meth is a dangerous drug that affects the nervous system.

“The youngsters are after the side-effects that comes with the drug. Meth effects range from anxiety, euphoria, emotional impairment, dis-envision, catatonia, paranoia, aggressiveness, violence, sweating, restlessness, hallucinations and delusions,” he said.

A source at Youth Friendly Corner, an organisation tackling juvenile delinquency in Mutare, said illicit drugs have become a public health problem in the province, with the streets of Mutare, Rusape and Chipinge populated by people with substance-induced psychosis.

She said resources are currently limited for treatment of drug users in the province.

“Demand for health services increase as drug abuse manifests itself in increases in STIs as high people cannot negotiate for safer sex. Our institutions do not have psychiatric units to rehabilitate drug abusers and only treat such people as outpatients. Cases requiring admission are referred to Harare, which often leads to lack of rehabilitation due to defaulting.

“With a number of students exposed to drugs, their psychomotor skills are damaged, leading to a decline in academic perfomance. Doctors are also used to smuggle drugs and are paid to use their licences to import some of the prescription drugs that end up in the streets,” said the source who spoke on condition of anonymity citing protocol.

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