Mobile money outlets: New drug trafficking spots

KAMPALA - When places such as Kansanga, Kabalagala, Makindye, Mulago and Kawempe are mentioned, one’s mind immediately runs to two main things; Kampala’s nightlife and ghetto lifestyle. 

From bars and restaurants to street food vending spots, these places have over the years, commanded the best of nightlife in Uganda’s capital characterised by street-smart youth. 

But the rate at which this life is giving rise to vices like drug abuse and prostitution is leaving the lives of so many youths in jeopardy. A New Vision undercover journalist visited most of these places and discovered that they have similar characteristics. 

He zeroed down on Kabalagala and Kansanga for his investigation, after discovering that drug dealers have turned this part of Kampala into a drug-dealing haven. 

It is little wonder that some city folks have christened these two areas that are next to each other (Kabalagala and Kansanga), as the ‘Las Vegas of East Africa’. With universities like Cavendish, Kampala International University, International University of East Africa (IUEA), Kampala University, Clarke International, and the Bunga-based King Ceasor University, the majority of the population in these areas are students. 

It is the students who are the biggest customers to most businesses, including bars and restaurants in Kansanga and Kabalagala. Our investigations have established that these students are also the biggest clients for drugs in these areas. 

According to Section 6 of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (Control) Act, 2016, any person who smokes, inhales, sniffs, chews or otherwise uses any narcotic drug or psychotropic substances, commits an offence and is liable on conviction, to five years of imprisonment. 

Tracing the epicenter  

In daylight, they pass for students or other responsible people standing in front of the mobile money outlet. However, a closer look at their transactions reveals something different; they are holding drugs instead of money. 

These, mostly youthful customers, can be seen pocketing cigarette-like sticks, which I later discovered are sticks of marijuana from mobile money attendants. 

After months of investigations, I observe a trend where mobile money outlets, and in some cases bars and salons, are being used as their supply centres. 

Near the mobile money kiosk are Ethiopian coffee shops. Here, an Ethiopian friend tells me that cocaine is disguised as coffee and only sold to Ethiopians and Eritreans. Having been tipped off, I embark on a mission to verify the claim. 

I approach a lanky dark-skinned young man, probably in his early 20s, who was standing near the mobile money outlet. I inquire from him how I can buy marijuana and cocaine.

The young man advises that if it was my first time, I should act as if I want to withdraw cash or purchase airtime and befriend the attendant before I can ask him for the drugs. But he warns me to use the coded language. 

At this point, I have already made friends near this Kansanga bar in Kiyembe Zone, Makindye Division, who come in handy to help me with the code names for drugs. I later learn that marijuana is referred to as “jam,” crystal meth is “ice” or “muzira” in Luganda, and cocaine is “tissue.” 

These drugs are only sold to known customers, which is why it was partly hard for me to buy some drugs until a known buyer introduced me to some shops and mobile money outlets in Kansanga. 

I also discovered from students around Kansanga that marijuana goes by several other names including ‘stick or tick’, ‘sada’, ‘mugo’ and ‘piliso’ among others. 

In the evening, I make my first attempt at buying airtime for sh1,000 with a view to befriending the mobile money attendant. On the second time, my editor suggests that I keep buying more airtime so that the dealer can get used to me. 

My goal is to gather information and confirm whether this mobile money outlet is the primary marijuana supplier in this area. I continuously buy airtime and I occasionally withdraw mobile money. 

After a week, the mobile money attendant has got used to me. One evening in November, I ask for the drugs because that is when disguised clients can be seen if one is vigilant. 

After buying airtime for sh2,000, I give him another sh5,000 and ask him to give me ‘jam’. But the attendant pretends not to be involved in the act of selling marijuana. Sensing hesitation, I do not insist. I move away and plan how to try again. 

In nearby shops run by Eritreans and Ethiopians, this is where cocaine and heroin are mostly sold. But they do not sell drugs to Ugandans; they sell to their fellow countrymen and women, as well as West Africans. 

As I interact more with the drug users, they introduce me to another dealer who goes by the name Kasongo. I discover that Kasongo’s major business involves procurement of marijuana and cocaine, which he delivers to clients who prefer deliveries for privacy purposes. 

On our first meeting, Kasongo was too suspicious. But after a few weeks of friendship, he started opening up on secrets about how drug dealers beat security. 

Kasongo has done this job for a long time and he is well-known in Kansanga and Kabalagala, both to dealers and police officers.

Our investigations have established that students are the biggest clients for drugs in Kansanga and Kabalagala.

How undercover reporter joined 

On a cold Saturday evening, I meet with another drug dealer at one of the big bars with huge crowds in Kansanga. This was with the help of Kasongo. 

The arrangement was for me to become one of the dealer’s agents. I pose as someone who has a huge market for marijuana, which tempts the dealer to bring him closer to his business. 

While at this Kansanga bar, I notice that it is not easy to tell who deals in drugs unless you know their codes or if someone else who knows the cartel introduces you to them.
 
Interestingly, the drug dealers operate in the full glare of police officers, most of who are paid by the cartel leaders for protection. This busy bar is one of the best hangout places in Kansanga. 

At this bar, just like several others in this area, beer has some accompaniments which include marijuana, crystal meth, cocaine and heroin. I notice that customers emerge from both inside and outside the bar as they frequent the nearby mobile money kiosks to purchase drugs. 

Mobile money dealer accepts me 

I knew I would not get Kasongo all the time, so I asked him to introduce me to the mobile money agent who, a few weeks earlier, had turned me down. 

When the mobile money attendant saw me again, his first response was: “But you guy, I told you I don’t do that business.” But Kasongo interjected, “Papa ono waffe,” loosely translated as “this one is part of us.” 

After Kasongo’s introduction, the attendant accepted me this time and he sold to me four sticks of marijuana. Each stick cost sh5,000. Eventually, I became a regular at his point. 

My intention was to make him comfortable with me so that I could stealthily record those buying drugs from him, and, indeed, I recorded several transactions. 

This was enough evidence for me. I kept buying the drugs because the mobile money attendant could no longer doubt me. But the attendant cautioned me never to make an order whenever there are many people. 

For the three months I spent investigating this story, I observed that when real mobile money customers would come to withdraw or send money, they would be served first so that they could leave. 

The clients who wanted drugs would be served last. I had developed the mobile agent’s trust to a level where I would just wink at him, and he would know that I had come for drugs. 

I would pay him and wait for any customer around to leave before the attendant pulls out my sticks of marijuana. But I never got to hear anyone call him by name. 

How police is involved 

I was anxious to find out how many mobile money outlets are involved, how they beat police, and where the drug lords get their supplies. Kansanga Police is almost 1.5km away from the main road, and Kabalagala Police is also about 1km from where the supplying agent is located. 

This drug epicentre mobile money outlet is located between Club Deuces and Beer Sheeba Clinic on the Kampala-Ggaba road. One of the local leaders affirms that there is no way the Police can fail to know what happens at such mobile money outlets since they have done it for a long time. 

The defence secretary claims that some police officers could be protecting the drug dealers. “All of these outlets and shops are surrounded by police, with formidable intelligence; how come they haven’t arrested them for all these years?” he asks. 

Another source said he has worked with the Police for a long time as an undercover agent, but whenever he takes evidence to the senior officers about drug dealers, they turn it down. 

“When the drug abusers buy marijuana, they come to a slum near police to smoke. They also go to a place called ‘Forest’, which is a well-protected area that attracts high-class people who smoke marijuana freely,” he said. Forest is a well-known location a few meters away from Kabalagala Police Station. 

Journey to a marijuana source 

After being introduced to several drug dealers, I now join the drug lords who get the marijuana from the gardens in bulk. I travel with one of the dealers only identified as Hamza, who is in the business of supplying marijuana to different selling points in Kabalagala and Kasanga. 

We travel from Ggaba to a discreet island on Lake Victoria. It is located at Kisizi village in Mpatta sub-county within Mukono district. After a 30-minute journey on water, we finally reach the home of Nalongo, who is a close customer of Hamza and Kasongo. 

She gives us a warm welcome and immediately asks one of her children to start getting stock out of the house. “Rasta (Kasongo) happy to see you again, it’s been a long time, Ndowoza olese ku sente eziwera (I think you have brought me enough money),” an excited Nalongo says. 

I observe that Nalongo and her husband in Kisizi village are the chief mobilisers of the dealers from Kampala; her house is like a collection centre. 

And every farmer within Mpatta sub-county reports to Nalongo in case one wants to sell marijuana to dealers from Kampala. We had no time to waste, so we ask Nalongo to pack our stock so that we could move. We had a plan to return to Ggaba by 3:00pm, but her husband was very curious to know who I was. Kasongo asked him not to bother. 

However, as I move around the village and interact with different youth, I realise that at least each family in that village has more than 150 plants of marijuana. 

But Nalongo has more than one acre, and she is the controller of the business here. At 1:00pm, I pay sh100,000 to Nalongo through Kasongo and we received our stock. 
To evade marine patrols on Lake Victoria, the marijuana sacks are inserted underneath a covered boat deck that is specially designed to conceal the consignment. 

At Ggaba, there are waiting young men who swiftly offload the marijuana and put it at a stall selling tomatoes and other foodstuffs. Hamza informs me that this is to disguise the ‘merchandise’ from the preying eyes of security operatives. 

The marijuana is transported to rented houses in Kansanga and Kabalagala where the packaging in cigarette-size sticks using small papers called ‘rizla’ is done. 
It is from here that the distribution to mobile money outlets, bars and salons is done.

Who manages 'Forest?' 

Only known as Ambrose, the owner of ‘Forest’ is a famous drug lord. I wanted to find out facts about him. So, I moved to the place and pretended to be a supplier because I wanted to know what Ambrose looked like. 

Unfortunately, I did not see him. But the bouncers I found at his place asked me which person I wanted to see. In my bag, I had four sticks, and when I showed them, they asked me, “Do you want to see Ambrose?” 

I said: “Yes.” In my mind, I knew I was at the right place, but I was asked to come back another time because he (Ambrose) was not around. While there, I came in contact with a policeman, but he is dressed in civilian clothes. 

The majority of the clients here are Sudanese, Eritreans, Somalis and other groups of people with West African accents – I suspect they are Nigerians and Ghanaians. 

Police comment 

The Kampala Metropolitan Deputy Police Spokesperson, Luke Owoyesigyire, said they were unaware that their policemen were protecting drug dealers, let alone the involved mobile money points. 

However, Owoyesigyire said the crime intelligence department would carry out investigations into the matter. 

“Let the matter be brought to the attention of our crime intelligence officers for investigations to be done. But what I know is we have always arrested people dealing in marijuana. If mobile money agents are involved, that is something new,” Owoyesigyire said. 

According to the 2021 annual police crime report, by the end of the year, a total of 1,668 narcotic-related cases were reported compared to 1,714 cases reported in 2020, showing a decrease of 2.6%. 

A total of 1,774 suspects were arrested and charged to court, out of whom, 657 were convicted, 133 discharged while 98 were still awaiting trial by the end of the year.

Syndicates

World over, drug dealers are known for collaborating with police to protect their business. For instance, in November 2017, Ugandan Police uncovered a drug syndicate involving nine of its senior officers. 

The suspected police officers were selling drugs recovered from suspects, according to police sources. 

The officers were accused of tampering with narcotics exhibits and stealing 85kg of narcotics from police stores, with an estimated street value of sh13b. 

The officers reportedly conspired with drug traffickers to switch drugs with maize flour and secretly sell the drugs to businessmen in Kampala. 

This is closely related to what drug dealer Kasongo of Kansanga told me. He said there has been a successful trade of drugs in Kansanga and Kabalagala for years because the Police gives them protection. 

“In a day, I can sell over 100 pieces, each selling for sh5,000. I have to meet some police officers with whom I share my day’s sales. They normally take 50% of the money in a day,” Kasongo says.