THE Drug Enforcement Commission (DEC) has arrested a 30-year-old Kitwe-based businesswoman for trafficking in cocaine and three of her family members for attempting to bribe a DEC officer with K10,000 cash.

In a statement, Wednesday, DEC public relations officer Theresa Katongo disclosed that the suspect, Lizzy Chuba Chileshe, was nabbed for trafficking in over seven kilogrammes of cocaine.

“The DEC in Chililabombwe, Copperbelt Province has arrested a 30-year-old businesswoman for trafficking in cocaine and three of her family members for attempting to bribe a DEC officer. Lizzy Chuba Chileshe, 30, of House No. 2880, Chimwemwe Township in Kitwe, has been arrested for trafficking in 7.55 grammes of cocaine. The suspect has been on the DEC dragnet for a long time. The Commission has further arrested three of her family members namely, Moses Chuba Chileshe, 40, Danny Chuba Chileshe, 28, and Brian Mwansa, 42, for attempting to bribe a DEC officer with K10,000 in order to have their sister released. The case involving the trio has since been handed over to the Anti-Corruption Commission for further investigations and possible prosecution,” Katongo disclosed.

She further stated that the Commission had arrested five other persons for impersonation of DEC, Zambia Revenue Authority (ZRA) and Zambia Information and Communication Technology (ZICTA) officers.

“Meanwhile, the Commission in Lusaka Province arrested five separate other persons for impersonation of DEC, Zambia Revenue Authority and Zambia Information and Communication Technology officers. The suspects have been identified as Donald Chimase, 26, Lyson Ngoma, 25, Kalata Chanda, 26, Nicholas Mwansa, 25, and 26 year-old Jimmy Ashly Sichimba,” the statement read.

She narrated that the five were nabbed from Carousel Shopping Mall where they had gone to demand for K30,000 cash from a Chinese national and proprietor of a named shop by purporting that they were officers from DEC, ZRA and ZICTA.

“Initially, the suspects had extorted K30,000 from the same shop owner and had taken with them two laptops, a CCTV server and control unit. Members of the public are requested to always demand for an identification card whenever they are approached by any person purporting to be a law enforcement officer,” advised Katongo.