Police destroy narcotics worth Shs 1.7 billion

Police have destroyed 69.07 kilograms of narcotic drug exhibits worth approximately Shs 1.7 billion at the police barracks in Nsambya.

The exercise comes at a time when the country is grappling with a rise in Ugandans engaging in the transportation of narcotics across the border.

The acting commissioner Anti-Narcotics, Zarugaba Tinka, who presided over the exercise said the destroyed exhibits were seized in various operations in 2019/20.

These drugs included 62.77kgs of heroin, 2.90kgs of cocaine, 991.82gm of methamphetamine, among others.

"These exhibits were seized by the Entebbe Airport staff while trying to be smuggled into or going outside the country,"he said adding that drug trafficking is on the increase.

"Ugandans are still being used as carriers of these drugs. The traffickers disguise narcotics while transporting them so that they are not caught and Uganda happens to be one of the transit countries,"he said.

He said persons that were involved in drug trafficking were taken to court, convicted and paid a fine.

"The Minister Internal Affairs needs to urgently fast track the appointment of the committee known as national co-ordination committee for drug control as provided for in section 67 and 68 of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act," he said.

Zarugaba said these traffickers keep on changing the tactics everyday after realising that Entebbe Airport has become a risky area to use.