WINDHOEK – The Namibian Police Drug Enforcement Unit made major strides in the combating of drug abuse in recent weeks when they found another dagga tree at a residence, police have said.
Topping their list of successes was the discovery of another dagga tree in Pioneerspark 1 in the capital on Sunday.
A 33-year-old Namibian man will appear in the Windhoek Magistrate’s Court tomorrow in connection with the plant, which weighed 5kg and has an estimated worth of N$15 000.
Together with the plant was found branches of the plant in the process of being dried for apparent sell to consumers.
It was also announced at a recent press briefing that since the start of the operation, the Drug Squad confiscated 60.802kg of cannabis with a combined street value of N$182 409.
They also confiscated 16 and a quarter mandrax tablets worth N$1 930, four straws of Tik valued at N$400 and 92 grams of CAT valued at N$46 000.
Tik and CAT are highly addictive drugs not very common in Namibia, but common among South African night clubbers.
Deputy Commissioner Edwin Kanguatjivi informed the media that 23 people were arrested in connection with the drug busts, among them a few foreigners including Nigerian, Congolese and Burundian nationals.
He also announced that 31-year-old Namibian national Salomon Namiseb was arrested with 27 units of crack cocaine worth N$2 715.
Namiseb appeared in court and was granted bail of N$3 000.
The biggest bust of the operation was when a Tanzanian national was arrested with 49.385kg of cannabis with a street value of N$148 155 in the Zambezi Region.
At the same event, Chief of the Police Sebastian Ndeitunga praised members of the Drug Squad for a job well done.
He said this is a combination of hard-work and diligence as well as the assistance of the public.
Some members of the squad were also present at the meeting, but he said they cannot publicly claim the successes as they are involved in what he termed “covert operations”.
According to Ndeitunga, drugs are like illegal diamond dealing, not only highly lucrative, but only opened when a bust is made.
While this was a planned operation, the police will continue to crack down on drug dealing, he said and asked for the public’s assistance in rooting out drugs from our society.
He said there is a need to sensitise the nation to report drug-related offences to protect “our safety and future”.
“The youth become totally useless when they are addicted,” he said and noted they start stealing at home to sustain their drug habit and then progress into bigger crimes.