Nigerian ‘preacher’ seized over drug haul

A street scene in Kariakoo, Dar es Salaam, where three suspected drug traffickers were arrested on Monday. PHOTO | FILE

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The Anti-Drug Unit of the Police force is holding three foreign nationals, including a church pastor who is a Nigerian national after they were found in possession of 15 kilograms of illicit drugs believed to be heroine. They were arrested from a rented apartment at Pemba Street, Kariakoo.

Dar es Salaam. The Anti-Drug Unit (ADU) of the Police Force has arrested three foreign nationals and seized 15 kilogrammes of a narcotic substance believed to be heroin.

The two Nigerians and a Latvian were arrested in a sting operation in Kariakoo, Dar es Salaam, early on Monday. One of the Nigerians identified himself as a pastor.

ADU head Kabaleke Salim said the self-proclaimed pastor, who is believed to be the ringleader, was arrested after he was mentioned by a Latvian woman who was intercepted at JNIA with five kilogrammes of a narcotic substance as she was about to fly out to Poland last Wednesday.

She told ADU officers during questioning that she was given the drug haul by a Nigerian “preacher”, adding that she came to Tanzania on April 11 to visit her Latvian boyfriend. She added that her boyfriend was also a drug trafficker.

“We learnt after arresting the Latvian woman that there were other foreign nationals who were part of a drug trafficking ring in Dar es Salaam,” Mr Salim said.

Police traced the Latvian man to a hotel on Msimbazi Street in Kariakoo and arrested him just after midnight on Monday.

Mr Salim said an investigation had established that the Latvian couple arrived in Dar es Salaam on April 17. This is contrary to the woman’s statement that she came to Tanzania alone six days earlier.

“The Latvian man admitted during interrogation that he was involved in drug trafficking in collaboration with two Nigerian nationals, who were living on the fourth floor of a nine-storey residential building in Kariakoo,” Mr Salim said.

The Latvian led police to an apartment in the building, where the “pastor” and a compatriot were arrested.

Fifteen kilogrammes of a suspected narcotic substance were seized during the raid. “One of the Nigerian nationals said that he was a preacher, who has been living in Tanzania since 2017.

He admitted, however, that he has also been involved in drug trafficking and peddling, during his stay in Tanzania,” Mr Salim said.

The three suspects would be arraigned as soon as investigations are complete, he added.

Mr Salim urged landlords to thoroughly vet prospective tenants, particularly foreigners, before entering into lease agreements with them.