�Cigarette, firearm smuggling decreases� - police chief

Onalenna Kelebeile | Friday March 14, 2014 16:07

Officer commanding, senior superintendent TakongwaMazwiduma said during an interview yesterday that since they have mounted police posts last October, no such cases have been recorded.  The posts were set up in areas like Mogapi veterinary gate, Matopi near Robelela and in surrounding bord

He added that they stage permanent police presence in areas that perpetrators use as escape routes.

He added that in the past, many cases of smuggling of cigarettes, firearms, elephant tusks and stolen vehicles were recorded.

He said Batswana are involved in these cases as they collude with foreigners to form syndicates to smuggle the contrabands.

He added however that the main concern are motorists arrested driving without drivers’ licences.

He said such drivers mostly use the Mogapi route, but since a police post was mounted there, 104 motorists have been charged at Mogapi gate from November 1 last year to February 2 this year.

He added that despite positive results by the police, traffic offences remain a challenge.

“Our strategies have paid off because the crime trends have significantly reduced.

“We are happy with the results except for robberies and break-ins though the rate is not alarming,” he added.

He noted that they recorded only 57 robberies last year as compared to 104 recorded in 2012.

Meanwhile, Mazwiduma said that drug abuse in Selebi-Phikwe is a cause for concern, as the town remains one of the most affected areas in Botswana.

He added that the youth, especially those still schooling are the most affected.

“It is unfortunate that we have not succeeded in arresting suppliers of drugs. Drug abuse is a complex issue and a national crisis but I hope we will succeed at the end of the day,” he added. He disclosed that some tuckshops are involved in the supply of drugs to individuals.  He however

said that apart from marijuana no hard drugs have been found in his area.