Twenty-four pupils have been detained in Kitwe in connection with drug abuse and alcohol abuse within school premises.

Officers from Zambia Police and Drug Enforcement Commission rounded up the 24 pupils and one school leaver during an operation conducted on Tuesday morning.

The suspects are detained at Kitwe’s Riverside Police Station.

Riverside Police Station Officer Incharge Thomas Swala has told Kitwe District Commissioner Lawrence Mwanza who visited the police station that the 24 pupils are from Kitwe Boys, Mukuba Boys and Parklands Secondary Schools.

“All of them are males. The distribution is: 21 from Kitwe Boys Secondary School then we have four who are not from that school. Two are from Mukuba Secondary School then we have one from Parklands School and we have one who is a school leaver. This one Clement Katilungu completed school in North Western Province at Zambezi Boarding School. He is 20 year old. He was captured within our area of target. The age range is between 15 and 21. The oldest appears to be Katilungu,” Mr. Swala said.

“These are the boys, we have not yet booked them but we have recorded all their particulars.The operation involved the Zambia Police from Kitwe District Headquarters, and then we also had four officers from the Drug Enforcement Commission who came to work with us. They were captured from an area prone to abuse of liquor and dagga within the school premises,” he said.

Kitwe District Education Board Secretary Christopher Nyungila said the arrests and detention would help curb illicit activities in schools.