By Joseph Kamanga
The Drug Enforcement Commission (DEC) has intercepted a massive consignment of high-grade cannabis and hundreds of bottles of codeine in a series of coordinated anti-drug operations across Zambia.
The most significant seizure occurred at the Chirundu Border Post, where Zambia Revenue Authority (ZRA) officials scanned a Volvo truck that was officially declared to be carrying fresh fruit. Upon closer inspection, officers discovered 12 bales of compressed high-grade cannabis weighing 255 kilograms hidden among the fruit boxes. The search also uncovered 576 bottles of Benylin with Codeine. The driver of the truck, identified as 38-year-old Patrick Mpotola of Lusaka’s Chalala area, fled the scene during the inspection and is currently the subject of a nationwide manhunt.
In Livingstone, the commission disrupted a different smuggling tactic at the Victoria Falls Border Post. Two young men, aged 19 and 23, were intercepted while attempting to cross into Zambia from Zimbabwe with packages of high-grade cannabis wrapped around their bodies to evade detection.The DEC’s crackdown extended into the Luapula and Copperbelt Provinces as well. In Mansa and Kawambwa, officers arrested two men for the unlawful cultivation of over 700 kilograms of fresh cannabis. In the Kawambwa case, the suspect had intercropped the drugs with cassava plants to hide the plantation from law enforcement. Further arrests for trafficking were made in Nchelenge and Masaiti districts, with suspects ranging from a juvenile to a 66-year-old man.
All suspects currently in custody are expected to appear in court soon. DEC Deputy Public Relations Officer Theresa Mawere reiterated the commission’s commitment to fighting drug trafficking and urged the public to continue reporting suspicious activities to help curb the spread of illicit substances in the country.
©️Zambia Reports 06 May , 2026