As government has imposed stringent conditions, illicit drugs is soaring

The issue of drug trafficking is a cross cutting issue which is troubling the world as this illegal business has thrived across the borders with security personnel have become perpetrators to make it more lucrative. A joint concerted effort is highly needed in order to eradicate the phenomenon. Demands for illicit drugs is soaring in Tanzania and law enforcement authorities say cartels are now targeting school children from rich homes to ‘harvest’ even more profit from the limited drug supplies. State officials told the lawmakers of the HIV and AIDs Affairs Parliamentary Committee that operations targeting drug traffickers across the country had affected drug supply. Instead, drug traffickers were now increasingly investing in clandestine industries to produce new ‘psychotropic’ substances as an alternative means to scarce cocaine and heroin in the market. “Drug cartels are now targeting children from rich homes … it’s the only way they can sell their drugs and get profit … in turn, these kids influence others and are used to deliver drugs to other users,” says the Minister of State in the Prime Minister’s Office (Policy, Parliamentary Affairs, Labour, Employment, Youth and the Disabled), Ms Jenista Mhagama. The price of a pellet has since jumped to 10,000/- , from just 2,000/-, further limiting many of the drug users to pay for increased dosage. Unofficial figure indicate there could be close to 1.5 million drug users across Tanzania, but a study conducted in 2014 showed there were nearly half a million drug users in the country. Dr Peter Musisi, Commissioner for Prevention and Treatment of the Drug Control and Enforcement Authority (DCEA) says: “We have controlled importation of illicit drugs on Mainland Tanzania.” He acknowledged, however, that operations on the Mainland have since moved most of their operations into Zanzibar where they claim ‘its legislations are still friendly.’ In less than a year, Dr Musisi noted that his Authority had impounded over 400,000 litres of imported chemicals which, if converted, would form part of new psychotropic substance, and if not administered by physicians could cause serious health complications including death. DCEA says it had since inspected around 100 companies – just half of at least 2,000 companies that import such drugs. “Most of the substance drugs are legally allowed to be imported and are used to suppress severe pain … but these drugs must only be administered by the doctor,” he said, noting drug traffickers were now using the substances instead of fighting imports of illicit drugs. DCEA Commissioner-General Rogers Sianga says his Authority is also ‘cleaning up’ production of cannabis. “We have cleaned in Arusha, we’re now targeting Tanga and Morogoro,” he explained. He said the Authority needs financial boost to ensure the country was completely protected from drug abuse, and that, every day, drug traffickers were developing new smuggling routes and techniques but insisted: “We’re fighting them.”