Tanzania’s Drug Control and Enforcement Authority (DCEA) seized 18,078.41 kilograms of illicit drugs in operations across 14 regions between July and September 2026, Commissioner General Aretas Lyimo announced on 29 September in Dar es Salaam; 289 suspects were arrested and 169 had been arraigned in court.[1]
The haul included 11,504.76 kg of cannabis, 6,529.5 kg of khat, 44.45 kg of skunk cannabis and 41.25 grams of heroin, across Dar es Salaam, Tanga, Kilimanjaro, Arusha, Morogoro, Tabora, Shinyanga, Mwanza, Mara, Dodoma, Mbeya, Lindi, Mtwara and Ruvuma.[1] Morogoro and Tabora recorded the largest cannabis seizures at 6,299.24 kg and 4,650.86 kg respectively, and authorities impounded eight vehicles, one tuk-tuk and 40 motorcycles.[1]
In one incident, three suspects moving 125.33 kg of khat were arrested aboard a RATCO bus between Tanga and Dar es Salaam; in Tabora’s Uyui District, 21.95 kg of cannabis was seized from a TATA truck travelling between Uyui and Kahama.[1] Lyimo urged bus and vehicle operators to tighten cargo inspections and staff supervision, and warned of extortionists outside the DCEA preying on suspected traffickers.[1]