Pubdate: Fri, 25 Apr 2003 Source: Times Of Zambia (ZA) Copyright: 2003 Times Of Zambia. Contact: http://www.times.co.zm/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/2871 DRUG ENFORCEMENT COMMISSION NABS MAN, 71, FOR DRUG TRAFFICKING THE Drug Enforcement Commission (DEC) has arrested a 71- year-old man believed to be a major supplier of cannabis in Chipata. The commission also seized 1.7 tonnes of cannabis with a street value of K8 million from the suspect. DEC spokesperson Betty Mumba said yesterday it was believed the suspect was supplying drugs to most residents in the area. The suspect was remanded in custody and will appear in court soon. And in Ndola, a peasant farmer was arrested for trafficking in 800 kg of fresh cannabis. The suspect, aged 56, of Lufwanyama was found with drugs with a street value of K6 million and will appear in court in soon. DEC also arrested another suspect for having one round of ammunition while 18 others were arrested for drug-related offences during the Easter Holiday. Most of the drugs recovered were cannabis and cannabis seed. Meanwhile, prisoners at Kamfinsa Prisons have urged the Drug Enforcement Commission (DEC) to effect a salary for ex-drug convicts. Speaking when the steering committee of the prison drug education and sensitisation team toured the prisons yesterday, the prisoners said the DEC should effect a salary for the ex-convicts that depended on the drugs as a source of income. The inmates wondered what measures DEC would put in place to deter them from dealing in drugs as it was a source of income for them and their families. They admitted that they were aware of the dangers of the drugs but some of them depended on them for there livelihood. They urged the DEC to put in place a salary for them to stop selling the drugs once they were out of prison. And Kitwe head of the drug demand reduction programme, Lackson Zulu said the prisoners were free to make suggestions because they were partners in making the project a success. He said the project was aimed at reducing drug abuse among in-mates with an ultimate goal to reduce drug abuse in prisons. Mr Zulu said the project which was being funded by the Swedish government aimed to establish drug awareness programmes in each of the prisons in Zambia and to rehabilitate drug abusing inmates.