The ‘No to drugs’ national police campaign, successfully took place at Otjiwarongo in the Otjozondjupa Region on Saturday.

The campaign aimed at creating public awareness on the dangers and consequences of drug use was jointly organised by the Otjozondjupa and Khomas regional Namibian Police Force (NamPol) officers as a community outreach programme on drug law enforcement.

The event which started with a street procession was held at the DRC informal settlement sports field under the theme 'Cleaning Otjiwarongo from illegal substances'.

In a speech read on his behalf, NamPol Inspector-General, Lieutanant-General Joseph Shikongo said the youth of the country should join the efforts of the police in the fight against drug trafficking, distribution and selling in order to make the country peaceful and safe.

Shikongo said as of January to June this year, about 77 suspects were arrested in connection with drug-related crimes in the Otjozondjupa Region on charges of possession and/or use of cannabis, mandrax, cocaine powder and crack cocaine.

He stated that out of the 77 suspects who were arrested, 71 are men and six were women.

“Countrywide in June alone this year, a total of 153 suspects were arrested for dealing in the same drugs which carried an estimated value of more than N.dollars 617 000,” he said.

Of the 153 suspects, 148 were Namibians, three Zambians, and one each from Angola and the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Several residents of Otjiwarongo called for more similar public awareness activities on drug use, saying the substances are destroying households, marriages and the future of their school-going children, sisters and brothers.

Otjozondjupa Governor, James Uerikua and Otjiwarongo Constituency councillor, Marlayn Mbakera also attended the event.

Source: The Namibia Press Agency