By A Correspondent- OVER 800 drug addicts have been admitted into rehabilitation centres this year after developing mental disorders associated with drug abuse, official data shows.
Statistics obtained from the Inter-Ministerial Committee on Drug and Substance Abuse show that the CID Drugs and Narcotics Unit has arrested over 1 150 alleged criminals for drug-related offences this year.
Police have also recovered drugs, including the highly addictive crystal methamphetamine, cocaine and ecstasy, valued at over $2 million.
The high-level committee was set up by President Mnangagwa earlier this year after realising the negative effects drugs were having on society. Co-chair of the committee, Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare Secretary Mr Simon Masanga, told The Sunday Mail that Government was rolling out several interventions to curb drug abuse among young people.
“A Drug and Substance Abuse Unit has been set up and social development officers have been seconded to establish the unit whilst the Ministry awaits approval from the Public Service Commission to create a dedicated and official establishment to that end,” he said.
“Provision of psycho-social support (PSS) and other services is currently on-going at the Department of Social Development district offices.
“The Ministry of Social Welfare is in the process of establishing its first pilot in-house PSS Centre dedicated to drug and substance abuse in Harare Province within the DSD district offices. Identification, referral and case management of children through the National Case Management System is on-going and children identified are referred to appropriate services per need.”
According to the committee’s progress report, police arrested 192 drug dealers and 383 users between January and October.
The CID Narcotics Unit also recovered 343 grammes of crystal meth worth $328 946, about 4,32 grammes of cocaine valued at $109 000 and 36 ecstasy tablets worth $37 000.
In addition, 53,98 kilogrammes of dagga valued at $1,2 million were also recovered, while 1 772 bottles of Broncleer cough syrup worth $648 000 were also impounded over the same period. Police also recovered huge volumes of Adco-Saltarpyn, an analgesic medication containing codeine, Benylin and Histalix cough syrups.
-State media