Seven in court for 11 tonnes of narcotics import
DAR ES SALAAM: SEVEN individuals, including a resident of Masaki and businessman, Riziki Shaweji (40), have appeared before the Kisutu Resident Magistrate’s Court charged with importing 11.596 kg of illegal drugs called Mitragyna speciosa.
The other accused are Andrew Nyembe (34), Mariam Ngatila (40), Ramadhani Said (57), a businessman from Kifuru, Oysterbay businessman Godwin Maffikiri (40) and Sri Lankan nationals Jagath Wellalage (46) and Santhush Hewage (25).
Their charges were read on Tuesday this week by Government Attorney Eric Davies before Acting Resident Magistrate Franco Kiswaga.
Attorney Davies stated that the suspects were arrested by the Drug Control and Enforcement Authority (DCEA) on 1 July 2025 at the Said Salim Bakhresa Inland Container Depot (SSBICD) in Sokota, Temeke District, where they allegedly smuggled samples related to Mitragyna speciosa drugs weighing about 11.5 tonnes. Investigations are ongoing, and the prosecution has requested a future court date for further mention.
ALSO READ: Drug barons smuggle narcotics in human skulls
The case comes amid intensified nationwide operations by DCEA, which in recent months has stepped up efforts to combat drug trafficking and cultivation across the country.
Since early May 2025, the authority has intercepted over 11,000 kg of Mitragyna speciosa, commonly known as kratom, along with seizures of cannabis and heroin.
Earlier this year, it destroyed approximately 336 acres of cannabis plantations in regions including Dodoma, Arusha, Mwanza, Mbeya, Mtwara, Mara, Kagera, Ruvuma and Morogoro, arresting more than 100 suspects linked to the illegal trade.
In a shocking revelation in July, DCEA exposed new smuggling tactics in which narcotics were concealed inside human corpses, with brain matter removed and cavities filled with drugs before being shipped under the guise of repatriation.
These operations form part of the government’s broader anti-narcotics drive, which saw DCEA seize a record 2,307 tonnes of drugs in 2024, up from 1,900 tonnes in 2023.
By mid-2025, cumulative seizures had reached about 37 tonnes.
In addition to enforcement, DCEA has expanded methadone treatment centres to support rehabilitation, with over 17,000 recovering users enrolled in 62 sober houses nationwide, alongside public sensitisation campaigns targeting schools and communities.
