DEC seizes over K1.1 million worth of busses, house
THE Drug Enforcement Commission (DEC) has seized five commercial buses valued at over K1.1 million and a fully furnished house of unknown value in Lusaka suspected to have been obtained from proceeds of crime.
DEC Public Relations Officer Mwenge Mulenga said, the seizure follows a series of intelligence investigations by the Anti Money Laundering Investigations Unit that have connected the said properties to an arrest that was done by the Commission in July, 2023 involving seven suspects who were found with hard drugs, including Cocaine, Heroin and Diazepam.
Mr Mulenga said the seized assets, including buses bearing registration numbers AID 734, BAH 1188, AQB 957, AIC 1975, and BAV 2165, were registered in the names of unidentified individuals who have since switched off phones and gone into hiding including the individual that used to receive the cashing from the drivers of the said buses.
"Furthermore, the Commission's
investigations revealed that the house in question, whose records do not exist with local authorities, was registered under a power utility company using the details of a known individual who has since denied ownership of the property.
It is imperative to note that individuals associated with these assets, including those involved in receiving cash from the bus drivers, have gone into hiding, prompting the Commission to therefore extend notice to the members of the public who wish to claim the properties mentioned above that the forfeiture process to the State, of the said tented properties has since been instituted.
"The Commission shall proceed to surrender the assets to the state within six months specified period where no proceedings or claim takes place,” he said.
Meanwhile, the Commission in Livingstone District, in collaboration with the Chirundu officers, conducted an operation at the Victoria Falls border where they intercepted Two trucks belonging to a named company which was carrying a total of 142 boxes of Benlyn with Codeine enroute to Zambia from South Africa.
Mr Mulenga indicated that the suspects involved have been identified as Kenneth Nsofu, male, aged 47, of Kitwe township and Micheal Musonda, male, aged 45, of Lusaka, both truck drivers of a named company.
"In Lusaka Province, the Commission has apprehended a Somalian national identified as Abduiqadie Habib, male aged 31 of Emmasdale area, for trafficking in four bundles of Khat Miraa. DEC has seized the drugs and the vehicle that was used to commit the illicit activity,” he said.
Mr Mulenga said furthermore, DEC in Western Province has arrested Liwanga Liwanga, male aged 45, of Nongungu village of Limulunga District, for illegal cultivation of fresh cannabis plants weighing 152 kilograms and for possession of dry loose cannabis weighing 620 grams.
“All suspects involved in the illegal drug activities have been charged and are awaiting court appearances.
"The Commission remains steadfast in dismantling criminal networks and seizing assets derived from illegal activities. We urge the public to cooperate with law enforcement agencies and report any suspicious activities or information that may assist our ongoing investigations. Our vigilance across the country has resulted in the seizure of significant quantities of illegal drugs. These actions highlight the Commission’s dedication to disrupting drug trafficking networks and protecting Zambian communities. Working together with the communities will help ensure a safer and healthier Zambia,”Mr Mulenga said.