Two students arrested with cannabis-laced cupcakes, 10 nabbed at reggae festival

The Drug Enforcement Commission (DEC) has intensified its crackdown on illicit drug trafficking, scoring significant operations in Lusaka and Chongwe districts targeting unconventional distribution channels. In the first incident, two 20-year-old female university students were apprehended at a boarding house in Lusaka’s upscale New Kasama residential area. Law enforcement officers recovered 26 cupcakes heavily laced with 596 grammes of cannabis, highlighting an ongoing trend where illicit substances are baked into everyday confectioneries to target student populations. DEC Public Relations Officer Allan Tamba confirmed that the suspects had been on the commission's watchlist following intelligence tips regarding student-led drug syndicates operating out off-campus housing. Authorities have renewed their appeals to boarding house owners and landlords to remain vigilant and report suspicious behaviors immediately. Community policing and active cooperation are viewed as vital tools in dismantling underground networks that utilize residential spaces for illegal production and distribution. Meanwhile, in a separate intelligence-led operation, the commission arrested 10 people at the Summer Reggae and Afro Music Festival held in Chongwe District. This sweeping festival raid yielded a massive seizure of 10.8 kilogrammes of loose cannabis. Among those apprehended and formally charged are Francis Habeenzu (27), Matildah Zulu (22), and Hellen Banda (26). DEC officials have indicated that they are actively engaging event organizers, promoters, and venue hosts to enforce stringent security measures and prevent large entertainment gatherings from being exploited as open markets for illicit drugs. Mr. Tamba issued a stern warning to criminal syndicates and opportunistic traffickers, emphasizing that Zambia will neither serve as a transit corridor nor a domestic hub for illicit substances. The commission maintains that it will deploy coordinated surveillance to intercept and p