Twelve drug dealers, caught in Kikori, Gulf Province, are each serving a 30-year jail term after being sentenced under the Controlled Substances Act of 2021. Gulf Provincial Police Commander Chief Inspector Jeffrey Lemb said the drug dealers were all caught between January 26 and March 1 this year by Kikori police. He said they were all convicted and sentenced by the Kerema District Court on various drug offences ranging from ranging from facilitating, conveying, or transporting to selling and distributing controlled substances – marijuana (cannabis sativa). Of the 12 suspects, five (5) were charged for selling and distributing controlled substances; the court gave them lesser penalties based on the amount they were dealing with. The other seven (7) were charged with conveying controlled substances under the Controlled Substances Act 2021 and were sentenced to 30 years imprisonment at Bomana jail. From these seven (7), five (5) were charged with an additional charge of facilitating the movement of controlled substances and given an additional 10 years but will be served concurrently - meaning that these 10 years will be served within the 30-year imprisonment term. PPC Lemb said this should serve as a warning to any other person dealing with drugs and involved in the drug trafficking business. “People who are dealing with drugs or in the drug business should be seriously warned that the justice system will not be lenient on persons found guilty on this illegal activity.” “Gulf Police has its own share of problems like shortage of manpower and resources but we strive to achieve the maximum with what we got at our disposal.” “We have a very dedicated bunch of personnel who stop at nothing to ensure that the bad people in society are caught, diligently dealt with and put away from the society.” “Especially Kikori Police Station personnel who have tirelessly worked night and day to successfully put this group of criminals behind bars.” “The current Senior Provincial Magistrate Mr Francis Figu is also a fair but firm administrator of justice.” “He has shown in this instance that people who deliberately break laws to earn a living in this country must be dealt with strongly so that the message gets across to those who are dealing with dangerous drugs and those future dealers can be deterred.”