Harare, (New Ziana) – The Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) has recovered a Honda Fit in Bulilimamangwe in Matabeleland South province, which was smuggled from Botswana.
Since the beginning of the year Zimbabwe has been running an anti-smuggling blitz which has seen large quantities of contraband and smuggling infrastructure seized and destroyed.
These include counterfeit goods seized from different retail outlets as well as boats and canoes used to ferry smugglers and their goods across the flooded Limpopo River along the border between Zimbabwe and South Africa.
In a statement on the ZRP X handle, national police spokesperson Commissioner Paul Nyathi said the smuggled red Honda Fit vehicle was recovered at the 80 km peg along the Plumtree-Dombotema Road on March 28.
“The vehicle was affixed with Zimbabwe registration number plates, ADY 4016. The driver escaped after a high-speed chase. Investigations by the police established that the vehicle was registered in the name of a Motswana national,” said Comm Nyathi.
In a separate incident, Max Gatagata (49) was arrested for smuggling bales of blankets, tracksuits , clothing and satchels along the Plumtree-Vaka Road near Nxele Dam, on March 27.
Comm Nyathi said detectives from the Criminal Investigations Department (CID)’s Drugs and Narcotics section in Harare received information that a foreign registered Toyota Quantum commuter omnibus was carrying Broncleer Cough Syrup from Bulawayo to Harare.
“The detectives acted on the tip and intercepted the kombi at Kadoma Toll Gate along Harare-Bulawayo Road, leading to the arrest of Rodrick Chambe (39). The driver of the kombi fled from the scene. As a result, 42 boxes containing 50 X 100mls of Broncleer Cough Syrup with a street value of US$16 400 were recovered,” he said.
New Ziana
