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The Drug Enforcement Commission (DEC) has formally charged and arrested six Chinese nationals, one Congolese, and one Burundian national in various operations conducted in Lusaka.
In the first case, four male Chinese nationals were arrested and charged for operating an illegal casino.
This action followed Section 3, Subsection 7 (a) (b) of Cap 157 of the Laws of Zambia.
One of the four Chinese nationals was also jointly charged with another female Chinese national for the production and possession of pornographic materials.
The charges are based on Sections 56 and 59 of the Cyber Security and Cyber Crimes Act No. 2 of 2021 of the Laws of Zambia.
DEC Public Relations Officer, Allan Tamba, provided further details in a statement issued Thursday, identifying the individuals involved: Li Shilin (25), Yaun Hang (24), Zheng Jingke (25), Hou Chaowen (25), Yuan Menghan (22), and Liu Jipeng (22), all of whom are residents of Lusaka District.
Tamba revealed that the group was not only involved in the production of pornographic content but was also using electronic devices to lure the public into a computer-based gaming scheme.
Victims were asked to deposit money for a chance to win prizes, only to be blocked from the system, resulting in the loss of their funds.
Evidence from victims’ messages confirmed that many were unable to claim the promised rewards.
In a separate operation that started in Chirundu District and concluded in Lusaka, the DEC arrested two men—Nkurunziza Fridolire (25), a mechanic from Burundi, and Uwizeye Desire (31), a Congolese national residing in Lusaka’s Makeni area.
The two were charged with trafficking 80 prepacks of compressed high-grade cannabis, weighing a total of 86 kilogrammes.
The commission also seized a Toyota Ractis, registration number BBD6730, which was believed to be involved in transporting the drugs.
Tamba confirmed that all suspects were in lawful custody and are awaiting court appearances.
In a related case, the State secured a conviction involving Nsoni Mpulamakasa, a Lusaka-based scientist and proprietor of Nature by Nature DNA Laboratory, and Musenge Ng’ambi.
The DEC conducted an investigation at the laboratory and a residence in Kabwata Site and Service, where they discovered 111 grams of cannabis containing Delta-9-Tetrahydrocannabinol levels above the legal threshold of 0.03 percent.
Mpulamakasa and Ng’ambi were charged with trafficking in psychotropic substances under Section 15 of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act No. 35 of 2021.
When the case was brought to court, Mpulamakasa was found guilty and sentenced to 15 months of imprisonment with hard labor. Ng’ambi was acquitted.
Tamba called on citizens to continue reporting suspected illegal activities to DEC to help prevent and combat criminal activities in the country.
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