Police smash fish chemicals racket

Zambia last year passed a law that restricts the consumption of Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs), which includes fish. Solomon Jere, leader of the police anti-piracy squad that cracked the racket, said what was particularly worrying was the fact that the chemicals were also being administered to chickens, making them mature in one and two weeks' time. Jere said that the police have confiscated the chemicals, which were imported illegally and surrendered the contraband to the Ministry of Health for laboratory analysis.

He said the short period in which the fish and chicken were made to mature had health implications for the consumer, which was why the police handed the confiscated chemicals to the ministry before taking further steps. Some unscrupulous dealers have been capitalising on the fact that Zambia has a shortfall of about 70, 000 metric tones of fish per annum.