Trekking the Indian sweets corridor

WITH a good number of women of all age groups determined to enhance their performance in bed, it has been established that some sex enhancing substances code-named “Indian sweets” are selling like hot cakes in Manicaland and beyond.

While sex-enhancing substances have mainly been taken by men over the years, it appears their female counterparts are following suit. Many of the customers appear not to be worried by the fact that the products have not undergone clinical trials to confirm their safety and efficacy.

They have also not been registered with the Medicines Control Authority of Zimbabwe (MCAZ), which is the only body in the country that has the authority to verify the contents of medicines and conduct studies proving safety.

Investigations conducted by The Manica Post revealed that there was brisk business for suppliers and peddlers of “Indian sweets” across the province.

It was established that the use of Indian sweets is prevalent, not only among married women, but young single ladies as well.

A local middle-aged woman who uses the sweets shared her experiences on condition of anonymity.

“I used four different types of the Indian sweets and they improved my performance in bed.

“My partner was not aware l had consumed them, but I could tell the difference, not only for me, but for him as well,” she said.

The Manica Post caught up with a local“Indian sweets” peddler, Mr Ray Shumba, in Dangamvura, Mutare.

Mr Shumba said he needs less than a week to sell US$200 worth of Indian sweets, with the cheapest sweet going for US$2.

With a satchel containing the product strapped on his back, Mr Shumba confirmed that business was brisk.

“We sell these sweets to both married and single ladies. They are in demand. I do not need a week to sell sweets worth US$200. My clients say their marriages have been saved because of these sweets,” he said.

Through investigations, it was established that there are several types of Indian sweets, with each type serving different, but almost similar purposes.

Consumers of the sweets start from the first stage and progress upwards.

Clients are encouraged to start with chewing the Mango Slice, which has an orange colour. Each sweet costs US$3.

In the second step, the client is encouraged to have a bite of the Palm Fruit which is said to be useful in warming up the body. Each sweet costs US$2.

From that stage, clients can now choose from an array of sweets, depending on their needs.

Chiname, which costs US$3, is famed for making one’s partner stick to them. There is also Tambo yemagetsi, which costs US$5; as well as Marinating sweets and the Bomber which allegedly all have almost similar effects on the consumer.

From the source to the user

While it could not be established why the substances are codenamed “Indian sweets,” The Manica Post gathered that the sex enhancers are being smuggled from Zambia through Chirundu Border Post.

The well-coordinated smuggling syndicates start with suppliers from various cities, including those from Manicaland, crossing the Chirundu Border Post aboard cross-border buses and trucks.

Once the products are acquired, the suppliers then allegedly pay taxi drivers on the Zambian side to smuggle the products into the country through illegal entry points along the Zambezi River.

The suppliers then cross back into the country aboard cross-border buses.

Their merchandise is handed over to their buses’crews on the Zimbabwean side.

Once the product arrives in Manicland, it is sold across the province mostly from the streets and in private residences. Most of the peddlers do not have specific base stations but instead move around with satchels or small bags containing the sweets.

The Indian sweets peddlers grow their clientele with the help of established customers who give referrals to their peers. Social media platforms such as WhatsApp and Facebook have also come in handy for peddlers as they use them to market their merchandise.

Religion versus sex enhancers

Founding Pastor of Shield of Victory Ministries, Pastor Davies English is of the opinion that there is nothing immoral about using sex performance enhancing substances.

Pastor English told The Manica

Post that as long as the Indian sweets are medically proven to be helpful, there is no problem in using them.

“The Bible is silent on that, but

there is nothing wrong with them if they are medically approved and there are no dangerous side effects. It is still, however, a controversial topic,” said Pastor English.

He added that there should be transparency in the use of these substances if the intentions are not evil. There must be transparency in every Christian marriage. In a good home where love is plenty, there should be freedom to discuss these things. If only one party is aware then it is wrong,” said Pastor English.

Safety comes first

Prominent Mutare medical practitioner, Dr Tendai Zuze said taking some drugs have the potential to cause adverse health effects.

“I still haven’t figured out what exactly these sweets are made of. However, after consuming some of these concoctions, we have patients that develop allergies which can come within minutes after consumption. Others also develop gastritis and kidney injury within days. Liver failure usually takes a few weeks to months.

“There is need for people to understand what is in those sweets before consuming them as they might be dangerous,” said Dr Zuze.

The legal perspective

In 2013, MCAZ banned over-the-counter selling of sex-enhancing drugs because of their side effects. Their distribution is supposed to be accompanied by a medical doctor’s prescription, but in this case the peddlers have taken the drugs to the streets in the form of sweets.

The regulatory body has always insisted that medicines or complementary medicines that are manufactured on a commercial scale for sale to the public must meet the standards of manufacture of any other medicine.

The Ministry of Health and Child Care, together with MCAZ, have raised concerns, but it has proved almost difficult to eradicate the selling of banned drugs on the streets.

Criminal Investigations Department (CID) Mutare District Community Relations Liaison Officer, Detective Sergeant Shanu Shake said peddlers of Indian sweets have become sophisticated.

“There was a case sometime last year when an individual was arrested for possessing those sweets. Those arrested are charged under the Medicines Allied Substances Control Act. However, we have not had many arrests since the way these people are operating is relatively new.”