DCEA Commissioner General Aretas Lyimo.Photo:Courtesy
By Charles Mkoka
Dar es Salaam– In a series of operations conducted between October and November 2024, the Drug Control and Enforcement Authority (DCEA) has seized 1,066.105 kilograms of illicit drugs, marking one of the largest anti-drug enforcement actions this year. Commissioner General Aretas Lyimo announced today November 12, 2024, that 58 suspects have been apprehended in connection with these seizures.
The Commissioner detailed that the drugs confiscated included high-toxicity skunk, heroin, hashish, and 447 milliliters of medicinal narcotics, as well as a staggering 19,804 liters of precursor chemicals. DCEA also destroyed 157.4 acres of marijuana plantations in a targeted effort to disrupt the production and distribution chain.
Among the notable finds was a cache of 687.32 kilograms of skunk and one kilogram of hashish uncovered in a suspect’s residence in Goba, Dar es Salaam. According to Commissioner Lyimo, a significant number of skunk users are women, who reportedly use it for stress relief and recreation.
"Skunk is a potent form of marijuana, with dangerously high toxicity levels that pose severe health risks," Lyimo stated. "Hashish, made from a mixture of cannabis flowers and seed oils, releases chemicals that can rapidly lead to mental illness when smoked. Unfortunately, many in the community misattribute the symptoms of drug-induced mental illnesses to witchcraft."
The DCEA’s sweep extended to Julius Nyerere International Airport, where 120 milliliters of narcotic medicinal drugs—specifically Codeine—were intercepted as they were being smuggled out of the country. Additional amounts, totaling 327 milliliters, were seized from a suspect’s house in Tabata Kinyerezi, concealed under false labeling as dog and cat bath products. Lyimo underscored the growing issue of narcotic-based medicines being used as substitutes for illicit drugs.
Further inland in Dodoma, two suspects, Suleiman Mbaruku Suleiman, alias Nyanda (52), and Kimwaga Msobi Lazaro (37), were arrested with 393 grams of heroin. Suleiman, a known figure in the drug trade, had reportedly been under DCEA surveillance for an extended period.
The operations also led to the seizure of 303.553 kilograms of marijuana, 103.8 grams of heroin, and 63 kilograms of khat across various regions.
The DCEA calls on the public to support ongoing anti-drug efforts by reporting suspected traffickers and refraining from any involvement in the drug trade. Commissioner Lyimo expressed gratitude for community support so far and emphasized the critical role of vigilance in protecting public health and safety.
