KATIMA MULILO - The Namibian police in the Zambezi Region yesterday burnt to ashes cannabis weighing 371.35kg, with the street value of about N$3.7 million.

The dagga was set alight at the Katima Mulilo dumpsite yesterday and this exercise could make those who smoke weed salivate.

According to Zambezi police regional crime coordinator, deputy commissioner Evans Simasiku, the cannabis was confiscated from 2017 to 2019, and some were smuggled into the country from neighbouring Zambia and South Africa via Botswana.

According to Simasiku cannabis smuggling is very high in the Zambezi region, and is being traded in various ways. “Some they are bring it to exchange with devil’s claws which is on the market currently. Some are brought in to us far as Muyako where they are exchanging with fish. Some are just brought in for selling or any other gain that the seller is intending to do,” said Simasiku.

He further warned that police in Zambezi are not asleep and called on members of the public to assist the police in the region to fight crime. 

“I am requesting the community that whenever they come across a person who want to exchange dagga with devil’s claw or fish or any other item which he wants. Such kind of a person should be reported to the Namibian police and we are going to deal with that particular suspect,” pleaded Simasiku.
Captions (Cannabis): Up in smoke……The cannabis destroyed at a dumpsite outside Katima Mulilo

*Aron Mushaukwa is an information officer in the Ministry of Information and Communication Technology (MICT) covering the Zambezi region based in Katima Mulilo