The Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) has warned that drug traffickers are increasingly using sophisticated and deceptive methods to smuggle illicit substances into the country, including disguising drugs as everyday food items to evade detection at border posts and police checkpoints.
Speaking during an engagement meeting with journalists, National Police Spokesperson Commissioner Paul Nyathi revealed that traffickers are now packaging drugs in 12.5kg flour bags, teabags, and other well-labelled food containers, making it difficult for both scanners and officers to identify the contraband.
“You find people packaging drugs in 12.5kg flour bags, well-labelled. You take it as flour, but it’s actually drugs. Then you find people now packaging even in teabags and other materials such that when it passes through the scanners at the border, nothing is detected.
“When it passes through police checkpoints, officers will think these drivers are carrying foodstuffs when in actual fact they are transporting drugs,” he said.
Commissioner Nyathi described drug abuse as a national threat that endangers public safety, health, and social stability.
“So we want you, as the media, to assist us. But we will also take strong action against bus operators and transporters who are conniving with drug peddlers to bring drugs into the country. Drugs are a national threat, peace and safety in Zimbabwe, including health, are at risk. People have been killed by suspects who are on drugs,” he said.
“People have been raped by suspects who are into drugs, so we must not take the issue of drugs for granted.”
Commissioner Nyathi also raised concern over emerging trends in local drug distribution, with some individuals now baking drug-laced scones and chocolates which they sell to unsuspecting buyers, including minors.
“We also have people who are now baking so-called scones and chocolates. They put drugs in those chocolates and sell them. They even have the audacity to sell these to children. What are we doing to our society? What are we doing to the future of this country? So we must bring this to a stop, but we cannot do it alone, we need the support of the media,” he said.