WORLD ANTI-DRUGS DAY: Inadequate manpower, tools hinder anti- drug efforts

GASIRIGWA SENGIYUMVA Daily News; Wednesday,June 25, 2008 @20:03

Cannabis plant, also known as marijuana. It is highly grown in boeder regions such as Mara, Mbeya and Arusha.jpg Also in the News 'Don't force people to pay in forex' MP faults Vodacom's tax holidays Over 464,000 refugees sent home, says Masha Mkulo: EPA cash isn't ours 'Rogue fishermen cause mayhem at sea' Kikwete leaves for Zimbabwe crisis meet DART project to generate jobs to thousands Appellate dismisses SGS firm's case Kagera faces serious shortage of medics PS warns on climate change impact AS the World marks the 'anti-drugs day' today, the sporting community in the country has not recovered from what has been termed as 'a disappointment to the industry.' Earlier this month, the media reported about six Tanzanian boxers who were arrested at Hotel Quartre Bornes in Mauritius for carrying heroin. According to the Deputy Director for Criminal Investigation (DCI), Mr Peter Kivuyo, the drugs seized in Mauritius are suspected to belong to a drug baron in the country. The contraband is estimated to be worth 1bn/-. "This man has been on our list of suspected drug dealers", Mr Kivuyo was quoted to have told the media earlier this month. Reports by the police say that the boxers were arrested together with a Kenyan woman in the capital, Port Louis, after being found in possession of 373 pellets of heroin weighing six kilograms. The report further says, the drugs were swallowed and later excreted. According to the police in Mauritius, the suspects managed to enter the country with their illegal luggage in their stomachs but since they were suspicious (the police), they had them under surveillance in the hotel they were booked. They are now charged with drug possession and trafficking. "Tanzania has been mentioned as a drug trafficking route linking Latin America, the Middle East and Asia as well as South Africa, Europe and, to a lesser extent, the United States. Drugs like hashish, cocaine, heroin, mandrax, and opium have found their way into and through Tanzania's porous borders," reads part of the International Narcotics Control Strategy Report for 2007. The report says, the domestic production of cannabis is a significant problem, with cultivation in many regions of Tanzania. For those who follow up police reports in the country from time to time and in the media, border regions of Mara and Mbeya are probably leading in the cultivation of cannabis in the country. It is traditionally grown in remote parts of the country, mainly for domestic use. In areas such as Tarime in Mara region, the plant flourishes better than food crops such as maize, and is worth more per acre compared to maize. Apart from the mentioned areas, the Ministry of Public Safety and Security has identified other regions such as Iringa, Tabora, Shinyanga, Arusha, Mwanza and Tanga as the primary production areas for cannabis. As a result, drug abuse, particularly involving cannabis and, to a lesser extent, cocaine and heroin, is gradually increasing, especially among young people and in tourist areas. Available reports further say that Tanzanian institutions have minimal capacity to combat drug trafficking. And according to the International body of Narcotics; "corruption reduces that capacity still further. Our country signed and is a party to the United Nations Drug Convention of 1988." Researchers argue that recent economic liberalization has brought increased affluence to the expatriate community and some urbanized Tanzanians. This affluence has driven demand for new drugs like cocaine, heroin, mandrax and opium, which have found their way through Tanzania's porous borders. Production of cannabis at domestic level is growing. Drug abuse among the youth is also increasing, particularly abuse of the more affordable substances like cannabis. Hard drugs, like cocaine and heroin, are used in small quantities, primarily within affluent urban areas; however, domestic use of these drugs appears to be on increase. Dwellers in Dar es Salaam city are no strangers to vagabonds who spend all their time in bus stages collecting 100/- to 300/- from conductors for inviting passengers to their buses. After collecting enough cash to buy a dope joint or a syringe of hard drugs they would vanish to locations only known to them for a 'quickie refreshment'. Drugs abusers normally turn into petty burglary including snatching women's wallets and mobile phones because of lack proper source of income. The growth of tourism industry, particularly in Zanzibar, has created a larger demand for narcotics in the Island. Tanzania is located along trafficking routes with numerous possible illegal points of entry in its eight land borders and 600 kilometres coastline. For example, in 2005, police intercepted 375 tonnes of cannabis, 101.5kilogrammes (heroin) and 35kilogrammes (morphine), among other prohibited substances. Over the past two years, 11,500 people have been arrested on drug-related charges, according to Tanzania's anti-narcotics unit. Drugs are brought to Tanzania by air, sea, roads and rail. Major points of entry include airports in Dar es Salaam, Zanzibar and Kilimanjaro, and seaports at Dar es Salaam and Zanzibar, as well as smaller ports like Tanga, Mtwara and Bagamoyo. It is widely believed that traffickers conduct a significant amount of narcotics smuggling off-shore in small 'dhow' boats that never stop in ports. Anecdotal evidence suggests surveillance at the airports has improved, which may have the effect of driving trafficking to minor sea ports and unofficial entry points. Mr Christopher Shekiondo, Commissioner for Drugs Control Commission (DCC) says; "We do not have enough manpower and modern technology to fight this war. This makes it difficult for us to patrol sensitive areas such as border regions." He adds that loopholes in the legal clutches make it even harder to prosecute those involved in the drugs business. Other stakeholders observe that legal measures that are usually taken towards players in the industry are not at par with offences committed. According to him, DCC and the Prime Minister's Office are working on certain amendments that will strengthen the existing narcotics legislation. "We have established a task force of sharing information among various government forces such as immigration, police and the security service countrywide. "This will help in reducing loop holes for corruption within the agencies involved." This year's anti drug day will be marked in Morogoro at national level. It has been chosen simply because, of all the regions that grow cannabis in the country, Morogoro region was leading in destroying of cannabis plantations for the years 2006/07. This year's theme is 'Avoid planting and production of illegal substances.' Mr Shekiondo says that in other countries such as India, Afghanistan or Pakistan who are major producers of opium, when their farms are destroyed, farmers are given alternative plants that can supplement their income. "In Tanzania, we have not introduced any alternative plant for cannabis. This is still challenging to the efforts", he says.

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