The ManicaPost
Ray Bande
Senior Reporter
A HARARE man (48) was arrested early Tuesday morning at a roadblock along Mutare-Harare Highway with a contraband of Nan milk formula which he had smuggled from Mozambique.
CID Manicaland District spokesperson, Detective Sergeant Shake Shanu told The Manica Post that during the early hours of Tuesday, Nobert Makweche (48) of Hatfield, Harare whose business address was given as Liquid Cargo, Number 19 Seke Road, Harare, arrived at a roadblock manned by police at the 170km peg along Mutare-Harare Highway driving a Man truck destined for Harare.
Detective Sergeant Shanu said the accused person was arrested for contravening Section 174 of the Customs and Excise Act (failing to account for goods that need to be accounted for in terms of this Act).
“He was stopped and his truck was searched by police officers manning the roadblock. The police officers discovered that the truck was loaded with Nan milk (a Mozambican product). The accused person was asked to produce relevant import documents for the product he was transporting.
“Makweche produced a Global Brothers Wholesalers Mutare Inter-Branch Transfer note with a consignment of 300x12x400g boxes of Nan Milk being transferred to Global Brothers Wholesalers in Harare,” said Detective Sergeant Shanu.
He said police officers became suspicious of the transfer note and impounded the motor vehicle pending further investigations.
While carrying out investigations, Detective Sergeant Shanu said, the director of Global Brothers Wholesalers, Mr Patrick Mambondiyani was approached to comment on the authenticity of the Global Brothers Wholesalers Mutare Inter-Branch Transfer note that had been produced by the accused person.
“Mr Mambondiyani stated that the document did not originate from his company. He further stated that his company does not sell Nan Milk products from Mozambique.
“A physical count of the Nan milk was conducted in the presence of the accused person and the consignment amounted to 300x12x400g boxes. The accused person was further interviewed and implicated Loveness Munyai (Mai Tanatswa) as the one who had sent him to collect the contraband in Mutare,” he said.
Detective Sergeant Shanu said the truck was checked in the CVR database and it was discovered that it belongs to Liquid Cargo Africa in Harare.
The contraband was seized by the Zimbabwe Revenue Authority, while a manhunt has been launched for Loveness Munyayi (Mai Tanatswa).
