12 Jun 2023

A raid by law enforcement officers has resulted in the arrest of 10 people, nine public officers and a distributor suspected to be involved in an organised cartel dealing in stolen medical drugs.

A joint operation by the Directorate on Corruption and Economic Crime (DCEC) and the Directorate of Intelligence Service (DIS) led to the arrest of the suspects in Gaborone and Mogoditshane on Friday.

DCEC public relations officer, Mr Lentswe Motshoganetsi said in an interview that the intercepted illegal distribution of the drugs was suspected to be of a consignment of drugs from Central Medical Stores (CMS) enroute to medical facilities in the Good Hope District.

Mr Motshoganetsi said the stolen medication was allegedly diverted and distributed to some pharmacies in and around Gaborone and some destined outside the country.

He said the distributor suspect allegedly distributed the medication in some pharmacies around Gaborone, even though the consignment from CMS was destined for clinics in Good Hope District.

Mr Motshoganetsi said the suspect was found in possession of P82 000 in cash and other consignment found in his car was worth P182 000.

He said the joint operation between the DCEC and DIS was bearing fruits as they were able to crack criminal syndicates.

He said that was an unfortunate situation, taking into account that in the recent past, the country was under a dark cloud of shortage of medicines resulting in a public outcry.

He said it was worrying to establish that efforts made by government to avail drugs were being aborted by some criminal syndicates.

Mr Motshoganetsi said the operation would be extended to some other parts of the country to ensure that such crime was put to a halt.

“We are determined to get to the bottom of this,” he said.

He pointed that their suspicion was that the criminal act might have been happening for some time in the past, thereby worsening the drug shortage across the country’s health facilities.

As per the Corruption and Economic Crime Act, he said, if found guilty of abuse of office, the suspects were likely to face a jail term of three years, a fine of P500 000 or both depending on the gravity of the crime.

Mr Motshoganetsi has therefore appealed to the public to desist from buying medical drugs that were suspicious and likely to have been sourced through unscrupulous means.

He urged the public to assist law enforcement officers in cracking organised crime by anonymously reporting any suspected criminal act.

He said it was unfortunate to witness that medical drugs were being diverted from reaching their given destinations putting the lives of people dependent on prescribed medication in danger.

He said the 10 people who were under custody were assisting in police investigations. ENDS