(Unguja) – Zanzibar’s Drug Control and Enforcement Authority (DCEA) has announced the legal seizure of assets worth TSh 976.05 million, believed to be acquired through illicit drug activities.
Colonel Burhani Zuberi Nassoro, Commissioner of DCEA, stated that the confiscation is authorized under Section 73 (1) of Zanzibar’s Drug Control and Enforcement Authority Act No. 8 of 2021, following legal provisions outlined in Section 71 of the same law. Speaking at a press conference in Unguja on November 11, 2024, Col. Nassoro highlighted that the decision followed thorough investigations.
Among the accused are Saleh Khamis Baslema and his wife, Gawar Bachi Fakir, residents of Chukwani in the Mjini Magharibi region. The couple’s confiscated properties include land, vehicles, and motorcycles valued at TSh 422.126 million. This is not their first loss to legal action; in April 2024, they forfeited assets worth TSh 15.3 billion linked to illegal drug activities.
Another suspect, Mohamed Abdulla Juma, a former senior legal officer in Zanzibar’s Revolutionary Government, had his land worth TSh 35 million confiscated. Investigations revealed his involvement in laundering money for Baslema and Gawar. Additionally, he allegedly facilitated the importation of satellite phones used to coordinate drug shipments from Afghanistan to Zanzibar and mainland Tanzania.
In another case, German national Andreas Wolfgang Fretz lost assets worth TSh 518.926 million, including a car and two houses. Fretz was arrested on October 17, 2023, at 4:00 a.m., after a tip-off from residents of Paje village in Kusini District. He was found cultivating high-grade cannabis (skunk) using advanced agricultural technology, alongside harvested cannabis ready for market distribution.
| Key Cases of Asset Confiscation | Details | Value (TSh) |
|---|---|---|
| Saleh Khamis Baslema & Wife | Land, vehicles, and motorcycles | 422.126 million |
| Mohamed Abdulla Juma | Land suspected to be linked to money laundering for major traffickers Baslema and Gawar | 35 million |
| Andreas Wolfgang Fretz | Houses and car; involved in cultivating and processing cannabis | 518.926 million |
The decision to seize these assets followed a notice issued to the accused, requiring them to provide proof of the legitimate acquisition of the properties within 30 days. The accused failed to comply with the notice or provide valid explanations for their wealth, prompting the seizure.
Col. Nassoro emphasized that the government is committed to enforcing anti-drug laws without prejudice to nationality, status, or rank. He reassured that those dissatisfied with the seizure could appeal in court within 30 days.
Despite government efforts, residents like Mussa Mohamed from Unguja believe there is a need for greater community involvement to combat the drug trade. “The government is making visible efforts, but more needs to be done. While these traffickers get rich, our youth are being destroyed by drugs,” he said.