Harare’s Mini Malls Are at the Centre of a Drug Epidemic
Harare’s mini malls, once thriving commercial centers, have become hubs for illicit drug dealing, creating a worsening crisis in the capital.
What were once prestigious buildings housing banks, law firms and corporate offices are now fragmented into small retail spaces—providing cover for a fast-growing underground drug trade.
Vendors operating in these malls say drug dealers are working openly, selling broncleer—a highly abused cough syrup known for its addictive properties—and crystal meth, locally referred to as “mutoriro.”
Some stalls are merely fronts for drug operations, with dealers using the premises as storage and distribution points.
Teenagers acting as runners collect small orders from hidden back rooms and deliver them to street corners.
Observations in malls along George Silundika Avenue, Nelson Mandela Avenue and Chinhoyi Street reveal how these buildings lack surveillance, allowing discreet knocks to signal the exchange of illicit substances behind closed doors.
In March, a young man was found convulsing in a mall bathroom after overdosing on a lethal combination of drugs.
Landlords lease spaces indiscriminately, requiring only rent payments without scrutiny, allowing drug dealers to operate unchecked.
A senior officer at Harare Central Police Station admitted that dealers often receive tip-offs before raids, making crackdowns ineffective.
Although the Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) has intensified operations, some landlords continue renting to questionable tenants without security measures in place.
The Herald previously reported that the government is strengthening laws against drug suppliers.
Courts are imposing harsher penalties, including jail time, to deter trafficking.
Additionally, Zimbabwe established the Drug and Substance Abuse Agency last year, tasked with leading a multi-sectoral anti-drug strategy.
Since January last year, authorities have arrested more than 6,000 people for drug-related offences, including over 670 suppliers.
