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Crime Reporter 

A man has been arrested in Bindura, Mashonaland Central in possession of 258 grammes of crystal meth, popularly known as mutoriro, worth over US$2 500 as the operation against drug dealers and suppliers continues countrywide.

Pride Jeferry Machiza was arrested last Friday by detectives from CID Drugs and Narcotics and has since appeared in court.

The police operation named “No to dangerous drugs and illicit substances”, has been steadily building up success with more than 6 500 arrested. Dealers always go to court although low level users are often permitted to pay admission of guilt fines.

The police blitz came as Government launched a major effort against drug lords supplying unwanted substances to youths, with police seeking to cut off the source of supply by arresting the suppliers and peddlers while reducing demand through a variety of social and educational programmes often backed by churches and other organisations.

In a statement yesterday, national police spokesperson Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi confirmed the large haul of 258g.

In October, Cabinet agreed that all idle provincial Covid-19 isolation centres will be converted into rehabilitation centres, more resources will be mobilised and Dr Agnes Mahomva was appointed the national coordinator of the Inter-Ministerial Taskforce on Drug and Substance Abuse.

Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services Minister Dr Jenfan Muswere recently said Cabinet had agreed to put in place stringent measures to strengthen the anti-drug and substance abuse programme.

Some of the measures are to urgently resume capacitation of sub-national structures including traditional leaders and religious group leadership.

“All citizens are urged to participate in the efforts at all levels as consultations are happening across the country; and members of the media have a shared responsibility to identify the networks’ distributors and inform the nation on the types, effects and bases of the criminal networks of drug peddlers within the communities and expose such criminals. All media organisations should also accelerate anti-drug abuse messages across all communities,” said the minister.

Four ZRP drugs and narcotics units were also established at the Beitbridge, Victoria Falls, Chirundu, and Mutare border posts to curtail the inflow of drugs.