The Drug Control and Enforcement Authority (DCEA), in collaboration with the International Narcotics Control Board (INCB), has intercepted 14 tones of industrial chemicals allegedly intended for the production of illicit drugs.

The seized chemicals – 4,000 kilogrammes if 1-Boc-4-piperidone and 10,000 kilogrammes of acetic anhydride were imported from Asia without documents detailing their intended use. Officials say the chemicals were bound for Igunga District in Tabora Region, where suspects allegedly planned to establish an illegal drug production laboratory.

DCEA Commissioner General Aretas Lyimo said on April 24 that the country has witnessed several attempts to import precursor chemical used in manufacturing industrial narcotics, whose availability has diminished locally.

“If the chemicals had entered circulation, they could have been used to produce large quantities of heroin and fentanyl,” said Mr Lyimo. “The 10,000 kilogrammes of acetic anhydride could yield up to 3,704 kilogrammes of heroin, while the 1-Boc-4-piperidone could produce 8,000 kilogrammes of fentanyl.

He noted that even small amount of fentanyl are lethal. “One kilogrammes of fentanyl can cause up to 500,000 deaths. Two milligrammes can be fatal depending on a person’s weight, health and drug history. This means the seized quantity had the potential to cause up to four million deaths.”

With international collaboration, Mr Lyimo said investigations are going on to dismantle networks behind the smuggling and diversion of precursor chemicals.