The Tanga Regional Police Force in Tanzania has seized a boat from Kenya which was transporting outlawed drugs in the country.
Authorities in Tanzania said that the boat was transporting khat “mirungi” from Kenya through the Indian Ocean in the Mawe Mawili area, Kwale Village on the border of Mkinga District and Tanga City.
Tanga Regional Police Commander, ACP Almachius Mchunguzi said the white fibre boat was seized by the Marine Police Force following intelligence reports and extensive monitoring of the methods used by smugglers.
Although the two suspects on board the boat escaped when they reached the shore, the boat and its cargo of khat have been seized and placed under police custody.
Commander Mchunguzi said the Tanga Regional Police Force will continue to strengthen patrols and special operations in maritime areas which are often used as a route for smuggling illegal goods from neighbouring countries.
Tanga Regional Police Force Commander speaks after boat from Kenya is seized
He has also urged citizens to cooperate with state agencies by providing early information on any indicators of crime, especially those related to the illegal drug trade, to protect society and strengthen national security.
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Khat is a type of drug derived from a plant called “Catha edulis” which contains the chemicals cathinone and cathine, which increase the speed of the functioning of the nervous system.
The drug is known by the names gomba, veve, miraa, kangeta, mugokaa, colombo, asili, mbaga, alenle, and jaba among others.
It has been used since ancient times in the countries of the Horn of Africa, especially Ethiopia, Eritrea, Kenya, Somalia and the Arabian Peninsula in Yemen.
Khat is mostly used in gatherings that include mostly men although in recent years women have joined the use.
Khat in Tanzania
The drug thrives and is found in abundance in the Kilimanjaro-Same, Tanga-Lushoto and Arusha Mt. Meru regions in Tanzania. It is, however, classified as illegal in the country.
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According to the Tanzanian Drug Control and Enforcement Authority (DCEA), a large amount of khat is imported into the country illegally from neighbouring Kenya, where it is a legal commercial crop.
Any involvement with khat (growing, selling, storing, using, etc.) in the country is a criminal offence and is punishable by up to life imprisonment.
The World Health Organization (WHO) lists khat as a drug that creates “dependence” in people, meaning it produces a continuing desire to keep using it.
Some European countries that previously allowed the use of khat have begun to outlaw it after seeing its side effects. It is also banned in countries like the United States and Canada.
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