Police seize record marijuana haul

Police in Kilimanjaro Region have arrested more than 20 suspects at Kibolironi in the municipality of Moshi with the largest consignment of marijuana seized in the region so far.

The Regional Police Commander (RPC), Wilbroad Mutafungwa, said here yesterday that narcotic drug dealers were found with 8,706 rolls of marijuana and 65 cartons of an illicit drink popularly known as ‘viroba’. Commander Mutafungwa mentioned the names of Lucy Thadei Chuwa (30) and Ludovic Mohamed as the youths who were resisting arrest but police officers overpowered them.

RPC Mutafungwa said Police were informed of the presence of the youths who engage in the illegal business.

He said the marijuana seized was ready for sale. Also impounded were 127 pieces of paper in which marijuana is rolled ready for smoking.

In another development, Antony Zakayo (14), a ‘Boda Boda’ operator from Pasua in the municipality of Moshi, with his passenger, Daniel Magesa from Chekereni, Moshi municipality, were arrested and found transporting 12kg of khat from Uchira to Moshi.

RPC Mutafungwa said they were using a motorcycle with Registration Number MC 835 BDK. Preliminary investigation showed that the khat had been imported from a neighbouring country.

The RPC said that Magesa told the Police that he did not know what was in the parcel, as his sister, Neema Hamadi Massawe had asked him to help collect it at Uchira and was given the phone number of the ‘Boda Boda’ operator.

Commander Mutafungwa said later that Neema was arrested and placed under police custody, but later she had to be rushed to hospital as her health deteriorated. She is pregnant. The RPC said the crackdown on narcotic drugs is going on with unannounced searches in different areas of the region.