The ManicaPost
Abel Zhakata
Senior Reporter
IN a bold operation by the police to curb rampant smuggling along the porous border with Mozambique, five haulage trucks carrying an estimated 600 bales of second hand clothes with a street value of more than US$150 000 and a bus loaded with 30 bales of the same contraband were impounded during a single night raid.
The 15-tonne trucks, which had managed to circumvent numerous security check points, were intercepted near Tsungwesi River along the Mutare-Harare Highway en-route to the capital city, while the Bulawayo-bound Inter-Africa bus was stopped and searched at Zuva Service Station in Mutare on Tuesday evening.
At least 12 suspects have been arrested over the cases. By yesterday (Thursday) morning, investigating officers were still compiling the dockets for onward transmission to the courts for prosecution on smuggling charges.
Two of the suspects, who were in charge of the five haulage trucks, are facing an additional bribery count after they allegedly offered a US$9 000 bribe to the arresting details in a failed bid to have the vehicles and the contraband released.
The trucks have since been handed over to the Zimbabwe Revenue Authority for seizure procedures.
National police spokesperson, Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi confirmed the arrests of six suspects and the recovery of the bales of second hand clothes.
“We can confirm the arrest of six suspects and the recovery of a contraband of shoes and clothes at Tsungwesi Bridge following an ambush by a combined security services on a special operation against smuggling in Manicaland.
“The team blocked the road as the suspects’ six vehicles tried to flee from the scene, resulting in two of the vehicles having their tyres shot. The two trucks were found abandoned later,” said Asst Comm Nyathi.
He added: “The security services team managed to stop two trucks and the four occupants were arrested, while two other trucks were found dumped near Headlands. As the security services members were carrying out investigations, two men appeared and offered them a bribe of US$9 000 leading to their arrest, bringing the total number of suspects arrested to six.”
Six more suspects were arrested over the Inter Africa bus case involving smuggled 30 bales of second hand clothes and shoes that were loaded in the bus destined for Bulawayo.
Manicaland provincial police spokesperson, Inspector Luxson Chananda, confirmed the arrest of Senzeni Dube (39), Thandile Ndlovu (32), Sikhalazile Ncube (38), Phathisani Khumalo (32), Simukai Matarutse (25) and Brian Ziome (37) on charges of contravening Section 182 of the Customs and Exercise Act, Chapter 23:02 which prohibits smuggling.
Insp Chananda said more deployments have been made to curb smuggling along the border with Mozambique.
“We would like to applaud members of the public who are giving us tip-offs to nail these criminal syndicates and with such valuable cooperation we will win the fight against smugglers,” he said.
It is alleged on April 20, a crack team of detectives with the Minerals Flora and Fauna in Mutare received information that the accused persons had smuggled bales of second hand clothes and shoes.
They were also told that the contraband had been loaded in a Bulawayo-bound Inter Africa bus.
The cops quickly reacted to the information and managed to intercept the bus at Zuva Service Station near Fairbridge Park.
“The detectives introduced themselves and searched the bus. They recovered eight bales of second hand clothes and 22 bales of second hand shoes. Dube had four bales of second hand shoes and three bales of second hand clothes. Ndlovu had two bales of second hand shoes, while Ncube had eight bales of second hand shoes. Khumalo had a bale of second hand clothes. Matarutse had two bales of shoes, while Ziome had two bales of second hand shoes,” he said.
The cops also recovered eight bales whose owner could not be established. The recovered bales were impounded and taken to ZIMRA for seizure while the suspects were expected to appear in court soon.
