Illegal agrochemicals impounded in Tanzania

Several plastic containers with agricultural chemicals have been impounded at a residential house on the outskirts of Arusha. The police, in collaboration with officials from the Tropical Pesticides Research Institute (TPRI) and the Tanzania Food and Drugs Authority (TDFA), led the raid at Shangarai along the Moshi highway.

Regional crime officer Laurent Paulo said the raid followed information from good Samaritans that there were people dealing in contraband chemicals in the area.

The acting TDFA zonal manager in Arusha, Mr Bukuku Juma, said his officers - alongside those from TPRI - wanted first to establish if the chemicals were genuine and the dealers licensed. He told reporters at the scene that they stormed the house because it was not licensed to sell agricultural or other types of chemicals.

"This place is not licensed to sell pesticides, pack or label them. The dealers must be operating illegally", he pointed out as he showed reporters several huge plastic containers with liquid chemicals.

A senior research scientist with TPRI, Mr Elikana Lekei, said the institute was the only authorised institution to issue permits to all dealers in agro-chemicals which have to be handled with care given their toxicity.

"Unfortunately this has not been the case. Some unscrupulous dealers have been circumventing the official procedure to import chemicals without permits", he pointed out. According to the RCO, one person who was found in the vicinity of the house where the chemicals were found is being questioned.