Drug mule nabbed at the airport

A Gweru woman reportedly tried to smuggle 13kg of the banned appetite suppression drug ephedrine valued at US$39 000 into Zimbabwe.

Gloria Chidakwa was arrested on November 17 at the Harare International Airport while coming from India. Chidakwa (28) was not formally charged to contravening section 31 of the Medicines and Allied Substances Control Act. The Act prohibits the importation of ephedrine without an import permit from the Medicines Control Authority of Zimbabwe (MCAZ). Ephedrine is commonly used to suppress appetite resulting in weight loss and enhances athletic performance.

Harare magistrate Ms Anita Tshuma remanded her to December 5 for trial on US$500 bail. As part of the bail conditions, Chidakwa was ordered to report three times a week at CID drugs and not to interfere with witnesses. Prosecutor Mr Tungamirai Chakurira told the court that on November 17 this year, police from CID drugs were conducting routine searches on arrivals at Harare International Airport. They stopped Chidakwa who had jetted in from India. It is alleged they took her to their offices at the airport and conducted a search in her presence. Chidakwa had two travelling bags in which police detectives found 15 handbags stashed inside. The detectives searched the handbags and discovered that each of them contained a khaki envelope which had a white substance they suspected to be ephedrine. She was arrested and preliminary tests were conducted confirming it to be 13kg of ephedrine. that weighed 13kg.

A fortnight ago a Bulawayo woman, Ennie Chamukondo (50) appeared before the same magistrate facing a similar charge after she was found in possession of 19kg of ephedrine.