Police impound narcotic drugs at Zanzibar`s Karume Airport

BY THE GUARDIAN REPORTER.

Police  in Zanzibar yesterday seized 5kgs of narcotic drugs at Abeid Amani Karume International Airport while on transit to Italy. The haul had a street value of 200m/-.

Speaking to journalists, Zanzibar Commissioner of Police Mussa Ali Mussa said the police are holding one person in connection with the incident.

The suspect, Alex Vasileios Nitis, who is a Greek national but of a Tanzanian mother said was to travel to Kenya first by Kenya Airways.

Commissioner Mussa said that the drugs were wrapped in a brown bag with a coffee aroma and placed under the passengers’ seat to confuse the police on the nature of the substance. 

Nitis’ passport had registration number A 13424772 and was issued on 15 June 201, he said.

Explaining to journalists, the Commissioner said the suspect was arrested after entering the checking room while ready to travel.

He said the suspect entered Zanzibar on Friday, this year from Dar es Salaam by Kilimanjaro III sea boats and live at Kilimani Hotel in Unguja for the past three days.

“When the suspect was arrested by our officers had already completed all steps that the traveller is required to accomplish before living the country,” he said.

From January to March last year six people have been arrested after they were found trafficking drugs at Karume International Airport. Three of them were foreigners.

Some of them were transporting the drugs outside the country while others were bringing them in, he said.

Zanzibar is facing a serious problem of narcotic drugs and related crimes that are disrupting family and development, particularly of the young people.

The leading areas in terms of uses of drugs include Jang’ombe, Miembeni, Kundemba and Mboriborini in the streets of Stone Town.

  
SOURCE: THE GUARDIAN (18/03/2013): http://www.ippmedia.com/frontend/index.php?l=52458