Tanga — YOUTH in Tanga Region have been urged to heighten fight against the trade and use of illegal drugs, in order to rid the region of being regarded as the main gateway for illicit drugs.

Ruling party CCM Regional Chairman, Mr Rajab Abdulrahman, made the appeal recently while inaugurating eight new grassroot groups of CCM members. The groups consist of over 500 new members who joined the party.

He said that people of Tanga must reject the bad reputation of the region to be regarded as among the major centres of trade and use of illicit drugs.

Mr Abdulrahman stated that the eight newly established grassroot organisations, launched just yesterday, possess immense potential to emerge as influential hubs dedicated to combatting and putting an end to the deplorable illegal trade that has long plagued the region.

The grassroot groups are made up of young people who run motorcycle business, popularly known as 'bodaboda' and other entrepreneurs.

At the same time, the chairman requested police officers to stop harassing 'bodaboda' operators by arresting them, sometimes against the set laws and procedures.

He was speaking after receiving complaints from new members of the section of operators, who said that in some instances they were being arrested by police without any legal grounds.

The regional chair said that he does not support acts of breaking the law, but asked the police officers to do their work professionally and not by bullying the riders, while equally tasking the 'bodaboda' operators to observe traffic rules and regulations.