By DELPHINE ZULU –

A FIFTY TWO-YEAR-OLD South African business consultant has been arrested for alleged illegal trading in over 2,000 logs of Mukula tree.
Sarel Stephanus Putter of Lusaka’s New Avondale, plot number 1296 Simon Mwansa Kapwepwe Road was arrested by the Drug Enforcement Commission (DEC) on Tuesday afternoon.
Mr Putter has also been arrested for unlawful possession of Mukula logs.
DEC spokesperson, Theresa Katongo said the suspect was arrested through the DEC’s Anti-Money Laundering Investigations Unit.
Mr Putter between March 1 and May 29, 2015 illegally traded and was found in possession of 2,172 logs of Mukula which have since been seized by the Commission.
Ms Katongo said the suspect is out on police bond and would appear in court soon.
Meanwhile, the Commission has, in different parts of the country arrested 55 people for unlawful cultivation and trafficking in various quantities of cannabis.
Those arrested include Jackson Muchochoma, 50, a charcoal burner of Chikwayo Village in Chongwe District for unlawful cultivation of fresh cannabis plants weighing 15 tonnes and Skotch Chima, 24, of Zifa Village in Kasungu District in Malawi for trafficking in loose cannabis weighing 115 kilogrammes.
Also arrested and jointly charged is a couple, Irene Chisenga, 35, a business woman of Lusaka’s Kanyama Township and her husband Casius Samunji, 42, a peasant farmer of the same residence for trafficking in loose cannabis weighing 107.2 kilogrammes.
In Central Province, the Commission has arrested Helen Chiluba, 30, a peasant farmer of Thompson Chipembele Village in Chitambo District for unlawful cultivation of fresh cannabis plants weighing 364 kilogrammes.
Others are Marian Mulenga, 30, of Mulenga farm in Chitambo District for trafficking in loose cannabis weighing 145 kilogrammes and Cephas Mwape, 28, a peasant farmer of the same district for trafficking in 78.3 kilogrammes of loose cannabis.
All suspects were likely to appear in court soon.