DIS nabs drug peddlers in border posts

SONNY SERITE

Intelligence officers from the Directorate of Intelligence and Security (DIS) scored big last week when they arrested 4 Batswana men who attempted to smuggle drugs into the country through the Tlokweng and Parrs Halt border posts.
The Botswana Gazette team witnessed the arrest of two Batswana men at the Tlokweng border who were found by intelligence officers in possession of drugs.  The two unsuspecting men aged 33 and 26 were arriving in Botswana from South Africa when they were stopped by plain clothed officers who searched their silver Altezza car, fishing out a stash of drugs.  This publication has since established that the drugs were crack cocaine and meth canine. The two suspects live in Francistown but originate from Sebina and Satau villages. They were later detained at the Tlokweng police station.
In another breakthrough by DIS officers, two Batswana men aged 27 and 32 were arrested at the Parrs Halt border on Friday after they were found in possession of cocaine.  The two men were also coming from South Africa when intelligence officers demanded to search their station wagon vehicle and found a plastic bag containing cocaine. They were detained at the Machaneng police station.
The DIS is said to have launched a massive anti-drug operation at all of Botswana’s points of entry. This follows another successful operation that was mounted last year where drug cartels from Botswana, Swaziland and South Africa were arrested at the borders while trying to smuggle drugs into the country.
In his message written on DIS Christmas cards sent out to stakeholders in December, DIS Director General Isaac Kgosi warned about the rampant drug abuse in the country. ‘‘Drug peddling is rife in Botswana, so let’s join the fight against drug and substance abuse.’’
Contacted for comment, Kgosi refused to be drawn into discussing the latest arrests but reiterated his concern about the rampant usage of drugs in the country. ‘‘Please tell these youngsters to stop using drugs’’, he pleaded.
Machaneng police station commander, Superintendent Peggy Vakalisa said in an interview that the two suspects who spent the weekend in police holding cells were released on Monday morning.
Efforts to get updates for suspects detained at Tlokweng police station were futile as office lines rang unanswered for most of Monday.