Zambia: The Drug Enforcement Commission of Zambia has seized five commercial buses worth 1.1 million Kwacha and a fully furnished house of unknown value in Lusaka, as they were suspected to have obtained from criminal activities.
The seizing follows a series of intelligence investigations done by the Anti Money Laundering Investigations Unit (AMLIU) and have connected the properties to an arrest which were done by the Commission in July 2023 that involved seven suspects who were found with drugs like Cocaine, Heroin and Diazepam.
Reportedly, the seized assets included buses that bear registration numbers AID 734, AQB 957, BAH 1188, AIC 1975 and BAV 2165, which were registered in the names of unidentified individuals who had switched off phones and have hidden themselves as they used to receive the cash from the drivers of the buses.
According to the sources, the commissions’ investigation revealed that the house in question, whose records don’t exist with local authorities, was registered under a power utility company using the details of a known individual who has denied the ownership of the property.
Notably, the individuals related to these assets and also the ones who were involved in receiving the cash from the bus drivers have hide themselves. The commission then extended the notice to the members of the public who wished to claim the properties and to forfeiture process to the state of the tented properties.
Furthermore, the Commission should proceed to surrender the assets to the state within six months as specified period, where no proceedings or claims will take place.
Considerably, the Commission in Livingstone District in association with the Chirundu Officers have conducted an operation at the Victoria Falls Border where they have intercepted two trucks which belongs to the named company and was carrying 142 boxes of benlyn with Codeine en route to Zambia from South Africa.
The suspected truck drivers were indentified as Kenneth Nsofu, a male aged 47 from Kitwe town and Michael Musonda, male aged 45 from Lusaka.
The Drug Enforcement Commission of Zambia remains steadfast in dismantling criminal networks and seize assets that are derived from illegal activities. Following which the commission as stated, “We urge the public to cooperate with law enforcement agencies and report any kind of suspicious activities or information that may assist the ongoing investigations.”
“Our vigilance across the country has resulted in the seizure of significant quantities of illegal drugs. These actions highlight the dedication of the Commission to disrupt drug trafficking networks and protect Zambian communities,” stated the commission.
Moreover, working together with the communities will help in ensuring a safer and healthier Zambia, says the Drug Enforcement Commission.