By the Respondents' reporter,
Dar es Salaam, Tanzania’s Drug Control and Enforcement Authority (DCEA) has launched a public awareness film titled Kifurushi aimed at educating passengers, drivers, conductors and transport operators about the dangers of unknowingly transporting narcotic drugs through public transport networks.
The film was officially launched on June 12, 2026, at the Magufuli Bus Terminal in Dar es Salaam by DCEA Commissioner General Aretas Lyimo, who said criminal networks were increasingly using ordinary parcels and luggage to transport illegal drugs.
“Many citizens, passengers and even transport service providers have found themselves implicated in drug-related offences after carrying packages whose contents they did not know,” Lyimo said.
He warned that what appears to be an ordinary package could contain narcotic substances and expose an unsuspecting individual to serious legal consequences.
“Do not accept to carry any parcel, package, or item whose contents you do not know. Always establish what you are carrying, who it is from, and who it is intended for. A package that appears normal could contain drugs and change your life negatively,” he said.
The initiative is part of a wider campaign under the slogan ‘Safe Transport Without Drugs’, which seeks to transform buses and other public transport platforms into channels for anti-drug education.
According to Lyimo, recent investigations by the Authority have revealed that drug traffickers continue to adopt new methods, including using public transport services to move illegal substances concealed inside luggage and parcels.
He said the film was developed through collaboration between DCEA, the Land Transport Regulatory Authority (LATRA), the Tanzania Film Board, filmmakers and other stakeholders to ensure the message reaches thousands of travellers across the country every day.
The Commissioner General urged bus owners and transport companies to prioritise screening the film in their vehicles, noting that their cooperation would strengthen national efforts to prevent the movement of illicit drugs.
“Every journey can become an opportunity to educate the public and protect communities from the dangers associated with narcotic drugs,” he said.
Lyimo said drug abuse and trafficking remain a major threat to public health, family welfare, national security and economic development, particularly due to their impact on young people and the country’s workforce.
He added that the government, under President Samia Suluhu Hassan, continues to strengthen the fight against drugs through law enforcement operations, investigations, rehabilitation services for people affected by drug dependence, and sustained public education campaigns.
The launch of Kifurushi at the country’s largest bus terminal was intended to directly reach key stakeholders in the transport chain, including passengers, drivers, conductors and cargo handlers, who play a crucial role in preventing the movement of narcotic drugs.
