By Tapiwa Chawagarira
MASVINGO — Police have intensified operations targeting firearms, illicit medicines, and other forms of cross-border crime. Separate arrests in Masvingo and Bubi have resulted in the recovery of a shotgun and unregistered cough syrups worth about US$2,000.
In Masvingo, police, acting on information received on September 18, arrested 22-year-old James Machumi for unlawful possession of a firearm and armed robbery.
A shotgun was recovered after police searched Machumi’s residence at Mbuyanehanda Business Centre, where the weapon had allegedly been concealed under blankets.
According to police, the firearm is believed to have been stolen during an armed robbery in Nyika, Bikita, in August 2025.
The recovery comes as law enforcement agencies continue to increase surveillance along major transport and trade routes, particularly those connecting Zimbabwe to South Africa.
The Masvingo-Beitbridge route forms part of the country’s major north-south transport corridor, carrying significant volumes of passenger and commercial traffic between the Beitbridge border area, Masvingo, and the rest of Zimbabwe.
The corridor has previously been identified as a route exploited by smugglers dealing in illicit medicines. In March this year, police reported several cases involving Broncleer, Benylin, and Astra Pain cough syrups being concealed in vehicles and other cargo along the Beitbridge-Masvingo route.
In a separate operation on September 17, members of the Zimbabwe Republic Police Support Unit, deployed under Operation “No to Cross Border Crimes,” arrested 35-year-old Polite Chimoyo in Bubi for unlawful possession of unregistered medicines.
Police recovered cartons of Broncleer Cough Syrup and Astra Pain Cough Syrup, with a reported street value of US$2,000.
A report on the Bubi arrest said police found 190 bottles of 100ml Broncleer and 30 bottles of 100ml Astra Pain cough syrup concealed in bags inside a Toyota Aqua.
The latest seizures highlight the continuing challenges faced by law enforcement agencies in policing Zimbabwe’s busy transport corridors, where the legitimate movement of people and goods can also provide opportunities for the movement of contraband.
The Zimbabwe Revenue Authority has previously reported major seizures of restricted medicines at Beitbridge, including hundreds of bottles of Broncleer, Benylin, and Astrapain concealed in a passenger bus. The authority has said it is strengthening searches, including the use of random inspections and K9 units, to detect smuggling and other prohibited goods.
The problem is not confined to medicines. Police and other regional law enforcement agencies have also been conducting operations targeting drug trafficking, illegal firearms, and other forms of cross-border crime along strategic border routes.
The Zimbabwe Republic Police has a specialised Criminal Investigations Department responsible for investigating serious crimes, while its Interpol National Central Bureau works with regional and international law enforcement agencies on transnational crime.
For Masvingo, the recovery of a shotgun allegedly stolen during an armed robbery more than a year ago could also provide investigators with an opportunity to trace the weapon’s history and establish whether it was subsequently used in other crimes.
Police have continued to urge members of the public to provide information that can assist investigations, with the latest firearm recovery demonstrating the potential value of intelligence-led policing.
The arrests come amid renewed regional efforts to disrupt criminal networks operating across borders, particularly those involved in smuggling, illegal firearms, and illicit drugs.
Authorities face the challenge of maintaining the free movement of legitimate travellers and commercial traffic while preventing the major transport corridors from being exploited by criminal networks.
