Botswana's Police Services Commissioner, Dinah Marathe, has called on SADC member states to double their efforts in the fight against drug trafficking, as Cannabis (dagga) smuggling is reaching alarming levels.

Appearing before the public accounts committee in Gaborone, Marathe expressed concern that drug traffickers continue to exploit both gazetted and ungazetted points of entry to smuggle these habit-forming drugs.

She said this unfortunate development calls for a concerted doubling effort of SADC countries to ensure that drugs are not smuggled into the region.

According to Marathe, marijuana is one of the most smuggled contraband items into the country, with at least 5, 781 kilogrammes being confiscated between January and May this year.

“Traffickers continue to use both gazetted and ungazetted points of entry to smuggle contraband into the country through these points. We have been able to intercept a number of drugs in this country, and people have been arrested. We continue to leverage our strategies with neighbouring countries including cross-border intelligence and capabilities.”

Earlier this year, 31-year-old Mbaunguraije Kaitjirokere appeared in the Ghanzi Magistrates' Court, facing a single count of smuggling at least 100 kilogrammes of dagga through the Mamuno Border Post.