Days after Nyasa Times moved on the drug and alcohol abuse investigation happening in Lilongwe, Malawi police have arrested three Nigerians as part of drug dealing operation in the capital city.
Police also arrested one of the suspect drug dealer in Area 47, a Malawian national Peter Kayuni
Empty stalls: This is where gallons of mixed alcohol was being sold
Police launched the operation which is aimed at detecting and disrupting drug dealers in Lilongwe, and more arrests are looming as officers are following other leads.
National Police spokesperson James Kadadzera said: “The message is clear, we will do everything we can to track down and arrest suspected drug dealers.”
Two Nigerian nationals have since been arrested for allegedly possessing cocaine drugs and are being kept at Lingadzi Police station in the capital.
Police also arrested one of the suspect drug dealer in Area 47, a Malawian national Peter Kayuni.
Lingadzi Police Public Relations Officer, Salome Zgambo, identified the suspects are Ajagu Jude Okwuchuku, aged 40 and Ekoh Chinomso Charles, aged 31.
Zgambo said they were arrested on Friday in Area 49 Gulliver.
The Nigerians were also illegal immigrants, according to police. Okwuchuku comes from Anambra State while Charles, 31, is from Enugu State both in Nigeria.
“Police got information from well wishers that the suspects were selling illicit drugs. After getting the information, the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) team acted swiftly and arrested the culprits,” Zgambo said.
She added that the suspects were found with eight cracks of drugs suspected to be cocaine concealed in black plastic bags (jumbo).
Few days ago the Police, City officials and the political representatives of Area 6, 47 and 9 were locked up in a meeting to deal with the drug issue decisively.
“Decision to shutdown several places has been made. We will not mention them because plain clothed Police are working in cornering the drug dealers in these places,” one official privy to the information said.
A visit to Bwandilo, the birthplace of a cocktail drug called Nyaope showed that the stalls remained empty and their owners remained in Police custody.
Meanwhile, police is persuading the public to refrain from drug and substance abuse and report to police any suspicious persons selling or keeping drugs.
