The ManicaPost
Tanyaradzwa Mujati
Post Reporter
A SUSPECTED smuggler was recently nabbed in Penhalonga after he was found in possession of smuggled goods worth $6,2 million.
The smuggled goods include boxes of Baygon and Doom insecticides, 866 pairs of sneakers and four bales of used shoes weighing 88kgs.
The recovered goods were seized by the State.
Israel Matanga appeared before Mutare magistrate, Ms Thandiwe Sibanda last week facing two counts of contravening Section 182 of the Customs and Excise Act Chapter 23:02 (Smuggling) and contravening Section 174 (2) (b) of the Customs and Excise Act, Chapter 23:04 (Failure to account for goods).
Matanga who was represented by Mr Chris Ndlovu of Gonese and Ndlovu Legal Practitioners, was not asked to plead and was remanded out of custody on $50 000 bail to January 17, 2023.
Prosecuting, Ms Loice Kadenha, said on December 14, Matanga was arrested in Penhalonga after he had used an illegal entry point to smuggle goods worth $6 250 531 into the country from Mozambique.
“He was found in possession of 8 125x300mls of Baygon and Doom insecticides, 866 pairs of sneakers and four bales of used shoes weighing 86kgs. He smuggled the goods through Mudododo illegal crossing point in Penhalonga using a Mercedes Benz Sprinter vehicle. All the goods were not declared,” she said.
Ms Kadenha said Matanga was arrested after police received a tip-off on December 13 from an informer that there were vehicles intending to smuggle goods from Mozambique to Zimbabwe using an illegal crossing in Penhalonga.
“Police reacted to the information and set up an ambush during the night of December 13. On December 14, at around 2am, the accused person entered in the ambush area driving a blue Mercedes Benz Sprinter vehicle. The vehicle was intercepted and escorted to ZRP Penhalonga together with the contraband of smuggled goods.
“Upon arrival at the police station, the Zimbabwe Revenue Authority (ZIMRA) officials were advised. They drove to Penhalonga where the contraband was loaded in a police vehicle and escorted to ZIMRA offices at Mutare Dry Port where it was offloaded in Matanga’s presence. The contraband was stored in a warehouse,” said Ms Kadenha.
The total value of the smuggled goods is $6 250 531.36 and everything was recovered.
