According to a statement from the Botswana Police Service Public Relations Unit, the drugs include anti-retroviral (ARV) and family planning pills. The tablets are offered for sale to some local pharmacies and members of the public, thus creating a market and facilitating illegal transportation of such contraband into Botswana.Police have also revealed that some of the smuggled goods and tablets find their way into neighbouring countries. They appealed to members of the public to report goods suspected to be stolen as well as suspected drug-peddlers to the police.The announcement comes after police in Gaborone arrested 11 suspects linked to smuggling of drugs and other stolen goods. The suspects include four Batswana, four Zimbabweans, a Zambian, Indian and Bangladesh nationals aged between 30 and 65 years. They were arrested at Broadhurst Industrial Sites, Station Mall and Main Mall last week during the ongoing police special operation.
Among other goods that were found are 300 boxes of different cigarette brands and 200 boxes of tablets.Even though deputy police spokesperson Senior Superintendent Dipheko Motube would not give further details at this stage, The Monitor has information from reliable sources within the police service that indicates that the suspects had been on the police radar for the past six months after a series of illegal abortions that were conducted in Gaborone.
