‘Notorious Tanzanian drug trafficker’ arrested during raid in Zambia

2 hours ago

Wycliffe Muia

Zambia's Drug Enforcement Commission A large pile of seized packages, tightly wrapped in black and clear plastic and secured with bright yellow tape, with smaller yellow-wrapped blocks stacked on top. A large vehicle tire leans against the front of the pile.

A “notorious” Tanzanian drug-trafficking kingpin has been arrested in Zambia during a raid, the Zambian Drug Enforcement Commission (DEC) has announced.

Ahmed Muharram was among several suspects detained in Zambia’s capital, Lusaka, along with large quantities of marijuana and cough syrup containing codeine in several drug busts on Tuesday, the authorities said.

“The suspect is a known transnational drug trafficker,” the DEC said, adding that the 40-year-old had long been on the anti-drug agency’s watch-list.

The arrest of Muharram, who has not yet commented, was made possible thanks to a series of intelligence-led operations, the agency said.

Under Zambian law, marijuana is classed as a dangerous drug and is illegal to possess.

The trafficking, possession and use of illegal drugs such as cannabis is punishable by a fine or a prison sentence.

The southern Africa country struggles with drug abuse and trafficking, especially cannabis and heroin.

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During Tuesday’s operations, the DEC said it had seized 221.2kg of cannabis hidden in a lorry in Lusaka’s Lilayi area.

The search was extended to Muharram’s residence in Lilayi, where officers discovered an additional 1,159.6kg of “high-grade” cannabis, bringing the total seizure to 1,380.8kg, the agency added.

A Zambian national who was also arrested is believed to be an accomplice in the organised drug-trafficking scheme.

The DEC said their operations also saw the arrests of:

A Zambian national for trafficking 55 boxes of Benylin containing codeine in Lusaka
Two other Zambians for trafficking cannabis concealed in their vehicle
Two Burundian nationals in the southern district of Chirundu for trafficking cannabis in separate vehicles: some was hidden inside a spare lorry tyre, some in gas compressors and additional cannabis was mixed with sugar, salt and paint and concealed in tins and buckets of paint.

“All suspects have since been detained in lawful custody and will appear in court soon,” DEC said in a statement.

The agency said it was committed to ensuring that Zambia was neither used as a corridor nor a destination for drug trafficking.