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SNORTING COCAINE NEXT TO COPS

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MANZINI – Drug-dealing around Fairview North continues unabated despite the presence of a police post in the vicinity.


This is the view of some residents who believe that drug-dealing has worsened. They alleged that the police were failing to control this illegal trade.
Residents, speaking on condition of anonymity, narrated how the illicit trade regularly took place within a 400m proximity from the police post.
They also alleged that the trade worsened during the night.


In October this year, the mysterious death of a 24-year-old woman resulted in residents complaining that the police were failing to combat drug-dealing.
The woman was allegedly found in the streets complaining of pain but died after being taken to the Raleigh Fitkin Memorial (RFM) Hospital.
The police had allegedly been called when the woman started complaining about pain.


She later died while undergoing treatment at RFM but some of the residents blamed her death on the illicit drug trade.
Superintendent Wendy Hleta, Police Public Relations Officer (PRO), said, then, they would investigate the circumstances which led to her death.
Some of the residents complained that cocaine, in the form of `crack,’ was readily available along the streets of Fairview including some homesteads.
`Crack’ is cocaine which is rolled into tiny pellets after mixing it with bicarbonate of soda. Only a very small amount of cocaine is used for crack but the bicarbonate of soda adds to the volume of the crack.


Disgruntled residents showed Times SUNDAY reporters one of the homesteads where cocaine was allegedly made into crack.
They alleged that the spot had been selling drugs for nearly 10 years.
It was alleged that the drug dealers operated syndicates made up of both Swazis and foreign nationals.
The residents also alleged that the syndicates colluded with some members of the Royal Swaziland Police (RSP).


They alleged that this was the reason the syndicates managed to evade arrest for nearly a decade.
“They no longer fear the police,” they said. However, the police have categorically denied this, saying they are well-trained and could never collude with criminals.


Over a week ago, Times SUNDAY reporters, assisted by the disgruntled residents, visited one of the spots known to supply drugs.
The place is situated about 400m from the local police post.
Police presence in the vicinity is said to have very little effect on the drug dealers as they allegedly carried on their business in broad day light.
Residents said they wanted to show reporters how easy it was to purchase drugs.


“It takes less than five minutes to walk to the spot from the police station,” said a resident who admitted he was addicted.
He said there were many spots around Fairview North which supplied drugs but he said he did not recall any of the dealers being arrested.
Most of the trade in drugs is also said to take place outside shops.


It is around the shops that the Fairview North police post is also situated.
When one of the residents arrived at the homestead accompanied by reporters, he called out to one of the dealers who peeped through a window.
The alleged dealer, a male, did not say a word but appeared to know what was required from him.
Noteworthy was that the alleged dealer did not leave his room but slightly opened a door then returned inside.
Another person, also a man, then appeared from behind the room.


He jestingly asked the `buyer’ if the people he was travelling with were police officers.
The alleged dealer then asked the buyer to accompany him behind one of the rooms after which the transaction occurred.
He purchased the cocaine rolled into tiny pellets of less than a centimetre.
Despite the small size, the narcotic cost E50.


Speaking to reporters after the transaction, the addicted buyer said the crack lasted 10 minutes after being snorted (taken through the nose).
He said inhalers use a special pipe known as the crack pipe.
 “The drug dealing activities occur at night when people buy the drugs very easily,” said residents.
He said there were many other drugs like Mandrax and dagga on sale along the streets of Manzini but `crack’ was often the cheapest.
The buyer also said addicts travelled from other towns to buy the drugs.


According to information gathered from residents who claimed to use the drugs, dealers acquired the illegal substances from Mozambique and South Africa.
The dealers allegedly bought the drugs in the form of cocaine powder which was then made into crack.
Residents said the dealers did not just sell the drugs to anyone but had a network of trusted people.


He also said despite frequent police raids, the alleged dealers had never been arrested.
“They have been doing this for the past 10 years,” he said.
He said their network of buyers was constantly growing especially among teenagers. The residents said they did not believe the police were trying hard enough to apprehend the criminals. They wondered why police officers did not pose as buyers so they could arrest the dealers.

Comments (2 posted):

sting on 29/12/2013 07:37:05
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Hehehe,"sisaphenya",kwasho police pro.
Sifiso on 29/12/2013 13:10:05
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its a known fact.......everywhere in the country we have police dealers,''user friendly'' if i can say.

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