THE DRUG Enforcement Commission says it has taken interest in Foreign Affairs Minister Joseph Malanji’s acquisition of a K30 million helicopter.

And the Financial Intelligence Centre (FIC) says it is working with DEC to probe cash donations and huge sums of money which is being publicly displayed by some politically exposed persons.

Responding to a press query, Tuesday, DEC public relations officer Theresa Katongo said verifications regarding Malanji’s helicopter were currently ongoing.

“The Drug Enforcement Commission wishes to state that it has taken interest not only in this particular [helicopter] case but also in many other issues where members of the public are displaying huge sums of money on social media. I wish to confirm that verifications are ongoing and that the Commission will only go public when congruent evidence has been ascertained and an arrest has been effected. Therefore, we wish to assure members of the public that the Commission is not sitting idle when any criminal activities involving drug abuse, trafficking and money laundering are happening in our communities but is rather investigating such matters quietly,” stated Katongo.

And FIC director general Mary Chirwa said matters such as the display of huge sums of cash could not go unchecked.

“Let me start by saying that if you want to help the country, there are certain things that I can tell you but then if you put it in the media, it will alert the same people that are dealing in such issues that this is what the law enforcement is doing. So it is something that we have definitely taken keen interest with. The only thing I can say is that we are working hand in hand with law enforcements on that. I can confirm that we are working hand in hand with DEC,” said Chirwa.

“Obviously there is no one who can leave such a matter to go unchecked because we all get interested, why is this money not in the financial system? Where is this money coming from? Do these people have such capacity to have such kind of money? So it really is something that we are looking at. I sometimes get uncomfortable speaking to the media because then I will reveal our strategy.”

Recently, Lusaka Province Minister Bowman Lusambo donated K300,000 cash to Kabushi residents for the construction of Kapalala market saying it was a gift from President Edgar Lungu.

On Monday, a video went viral in which an unidentified man clad in a green PF t-shirt was showing off bundles of hundred kwacha notes spread on a bed, claiming that the money was given to him by Information and Broadcasting Services Minister Dora Siliya, who is also Petauke Central PF member of parliament.

Meanwhile, a video of Zambian Musician Martin Nkosana Moyo popularly known as Nez Long circulated where he was removing bundles of cash from a suitcase and displaying it on a table.

In a brief interview, Moyo said he could not confirm if that was his money.

“I can neither confirm that,” said Moyo.

And when asked where he got the money from, Moyo abruptly cut the call.

Meanwhile, XYZ Entertainment founder Mwila Musonda alias Slap D said he could not comment on the matter.

“I can’t comment on that. I wasn’t there, I wasn’t involved and it was Nez Long’s money it wasn’t mine. Well, if it was I don’t know,” said Musonda.