THE DRUG Enforcement Commission (DEC) has arrested seven people, including three University of Zambia (UNZA) third-year students, for trafficking in over 30 grammes of cannabis.

In a statement, Wednesday, DEC public relations officer Theresa Katongo disclosed the three UNZA students identified as Amadu Bah Mwansa, 22, Siddy Gadjo Mwansa, 22, and Kitonzui Mesala, 24, were found with 12.5 grammes of ‘special’ cannabis and one suspected sachet of heroin.

Katongo identified the others arrested as Neyma Camara, 19; Robinson Chibwe, aged 28; Cloud Kabwe, a bus conductor and Mathias Banda, a bus driver for trafficking in 21.5 grammes of cannabis.

The four, while driving a motor vehicle registration number ALD 5604 Pajero IO, were also picked from UNZA and were believed to be major suppliers of drugs in the area.

She also stated that two students from the Zambia Centre for Accountancy Studies (ZCAS) and three others were equally arrested for trafficking in special cannabis.

Katongo identified the ZCAS students as Kachizya Mulenga, 20, and Choma Chato, 19, who were jointly-charged with Shawa Mwale, 23, Gift Kumwala, 36, and Samson Sinkala, 25, for trafficking in 19 sachets of special cannabis.

“The variety of cannabis found with the suspects, also referred to as special cannabis or ‘cheese’ on the market, is suspected to be imported from a named country in southern Africa and also believed to be more potent than the locally-grown cannabis,” Katongo revealed.

And she announced that three youths of Chilenje in Lusaka were also arrested for trafficking in suspected heroin.

“Those arrested and jointly-charged include: Innocent Kakulo, 33, Ozias Kaundula, 21, and Chungu Chomba, 24, for trafficking in 15 sachets of suspected heroin. The trio was picked at Chris Corner in Chilenje,” stated Katongo.