DEC Makes Over 1600 Arrest For Drug Related Crimes In Second Quarter

This is in comparison to the 1, 422 arrests it made in the first quarter of the year.

In a statement to Qfm news DEC Public Relations Officer Theresa Katongo says the increase of arrests in the second quarter could be attributed to the joint operation that was conducted in Lusaka’s Chibolya area by Office of the President, Zambia Police Service and the DEC.

Ms. Katongo notes that of the 1, 618 persons arrested, 416 persons have been convicted for various drug related offenses while 1, 150 cases are still pending in the courts of law.

She says during the same period under review, the Commission also seized 14 tonnes of cannabis, 700.5kilograms of miraa, 2.1kilograms of cocaine, and 21grams of heroin and other drugs that were seized include diazepam, egometrine, lignocaine, and hashish.

Ms. Katongo also notes that in terms of arrests, Copperbelt Province recorded the highest number followed by Lusaka Province while Eastern Province recorded the highest seizure of cannabis with 8.1 tonnes followed by Copperbelt Province with 1.5 tonnes.

The DEC Public Relations Officer further adds that during the period, the Commission seized a total of 80 200 Zambia Kwacha as compared to the first quarter in which 698, 400 Zambian Kwacha was seized.

She says in terms of United Sates Dollar counterfeit notes, the second quarter also witnessed a reduction from the initial $97,200 US Dollar counterfeit notes seized between January and March 2014, to $2, 578 United States Dollar counterfeit notes seized in the last quarter.

Mr. Katongo says in the second quarter of 2014, 16 persons were arrested for money laundering offenses involving K1, 290, 690 and $1, 500 United States Dollars.

She notes that 04 out of the total number of people arrested were convicted and no acquittal was recorded while the remaining cases are still pending in the courts of law.

QFM

Posted by Kunda on July 12, 2014. Filed under LATEST NEWS. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. Both comments and pings are currently closed.