Duo Arrested For Unlawfully Possessing Medical Drugs
Police in Nyamapanda arrested Collin Kanhukamwe and Brian Samu on May 3, 2023, at the 207-kilometre peg during a motorized patrol along the Harare-Nyamapanda road for unlawfully possessing medical drugs. The suspects were on a Harare-bound bus.
The contraband of drugs seized by police in Nyamapanda included:
- 200 bottles x 100 mls of Angimox –CV 312.5 mg
- 88 bottles x 100ml Amoxicillin Oral Suspension BP 250mg/5ml
- 24 bottles x 1000 tablets Co-trimoxazole tablets BP 480mg
- 3 boxes x 20 tablets Triclofem Medroxyprogesterone Acetate 150mg/ml
- 150 boxes x 10×3 tablets Azithromycin tablets USP 500mg
- 24 bottles x 500 tablets Ciprofloxacin tablets USP 500mg
- 9 bottles x 1000 tablets Ibuprofen tablets BP 200mg
- 4 bottles x 500 tablets Metronidazole tablets BP 250mg
- 100 bottles x 100ml Azicin-s Azithromycin Oral Suspension 200mg/5ml
- 25 bottles x 100ml Amoxicilina Para Suspension Oral BP 250mg/5ml.
The drugs were recovered in three sacks which were stashed in the boot.
Counterfeit medical drugs on the black market in Zimbabwe pose a serious risk to public health. Criminal networks take advantage of the high demand for affordable medication. Drugs are often smuggled from neighbouring countries or stolen from medical facilities.
The sale of counterfeit drugs is particularly concerning as they may not contain the active ingredients needed to treat the intended condition and can lead to treatment failure, drug resistance, and death. The government has taken steps to regulate the pharmaceutical industry and strengthen law enforcement, but more needs to be done.
In addition to the sale of counterfeit drugs, there are other drugs that are being trafficked in Zimbabwe, with the country serving as a transit point for drugs destined for other countries in the region. Criminal networks use Zimbabwe’s porous borders to smuggle drugs, and corruption among law enforcement officials contributes to the problem.
The government has passed legislation and strengthened law enforcement capacity, but the issue continues to pose a threat to the country’s security.
