HARARE–(MaraviPost)-A 36-year-old Pakistani national has been fined US$30 after he was caught smoking dagga in the toilet of a Qatar Airways flight from Doha to Harare.
Bukhari Syed Rameez Abbas was aboard Flight QR-1451 last Tuesday when a smoke alarm went off in the lavatory at around 1800 hours.
A crew member who went to investigate reported a strong smell of cigarette smoke in the toilet and saw Bukhari exiting.
According to the crew, Bukhari rushed back to his seat when approached but later admitted to smoking in the toilet when confronted by another crew member.
The crew alerted authorities and upon landing at Robert Mugabe International Airport, he was handed over to Immigration officials.
He was subsequently arrested and appeared at the Epworth Magistrates Court two days later where the court fined him US$30 for the offence.
He has since been handed back to the Department of Immigration for further management.
Meanwhile, in other news the Zimbabwe Republic Police has arrested four suspects in separate cases of alleged unlawful dagga cultivation in Mutoko and Inyathi, following the recovery of hundreds of cannabis plants.
According to the police, the first arrests were made on October 16, 2026, after officers in Makosa acted on a tip-off and arrested Edmore Muhomba (55) and Michael Chipuriro (35) at Mutize Village in Mutoko.
Police reportedly recovered 1,457 dagga plants, averaging 1.3 metres in height, from the suspects’ garden.
In a separate incident on the same day, police in Inyathi arrested Tendayi Muleya (32) and Supayi Muleya (22) for alleged unlawful cultivation of dagga at a mine compound. Several cannabis plants were reportedly recovered from the suspects’ garden.
The arrests form part of the police’s ongoing efforts to combat the cultivation and distribution of illegal drugs across the country.
Leave a Reply