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Tanzania's newly appointed minister declares war against drug traffickers

Xinhua, June 14, 2016 Adjust font size:

Tanzania's newly appointed Minister for Home Affairs Mwigulu Nchemba on Monday declared war against drug traffickers saying their days were numbered.

Nchemba was appointed to the position by the east African nation's President John Magufuli on Saturday, replacing Charles Kitwanga who was sacked last month after he had turned up in parliament drunk.

Speaking shortly after he was sworn in by President Magufuli at State House in the commercial capital Dar es Salaam, Nchemba said: "Fighting crime, including the illicit drugs business, will be my topmost priority."

The international criminal police organization Interpol recently described Tanzania as one of the major conduit for drug trafficking following recent arrests of suspects and seizure of drugs in the country, the second largest economy in east Africa.

"I will strengthen the ministry's strategies to curb crime in the country. Intelligence will also be reinforced," the Minister said.

Last week, the High Court in Tanzania sentenced a Nigerian national to life imprisonment after he was found guilty of trafficking illegal drugs.

Joachim Ikechukwi Ike, the 36-year-old Nigerian, was convicted of possessing and trafficking 6,969.38 grams of heroin valued at 157,000 US dollars. Endit