News / Regional
Smuggling syndicate comprising security officers busted
12 Feb 2012 at 06:03hrs | Views
A smuggling syndicate comprising police officers, army and Zimra officials has been nabbed in the border town of Plumtree after police arrested three truck drivers who were transporting consignments of smuggled goods into the country from Botswana.
The three drivers who include two Zimbabweans and a Southern African have been identified as Mulombe Tshabangu, Stanley Ndlovu and a South African national Mkhululi Ncube.
The since appeared at the Plumtree Magistrates Court facing charges of smuggling last week and remanded in custody.
It is said that two assistant Inspectors a Chadza and Njaya and Constable Muleya of Mandlambuzi Police intercepted seven vehicles that were transporting smuggled goods from Botswana and directed the drivers of the vehicles to drive to the police station.
However, it is alleged that four of the vehicles escaped along the way to the station.
But the drivers of the other three vehicles -- Ndlovu, Ncube and Tshabangu -- were arrested and on searching the vehicles police found various electrical goods and clothes worth thousands of dollars which they had not declared.
"The trio later indicated that they had bribed Zimra officials to avoid paying duty and had also done the same to police and army officers at the border," says the memorandum.
They further claimed that they had been escorted from the border by one Constable Tsweruka who drove one of the vehicles, a Honda CRV after each of the seven vehicles had paid a protection fee of R500 so that they will not be searched at police road blocks.
Following the revelations by the three truck drivers, an identification parade was held for the Zimra officials.
One Stanley Maridza (25), who was alleged to have been paid R5 000 by each of the seven vehicles was identified and arrested together with another Zimra official, Praisemore Mhlanga and Tendai Masona of the Department of Immigration.
They were all charged with criminal abuse of office as public officers.
Further investigations into the matter also revealed that four other police officers based at Madlambuzi were also involved in the smuggling case.
The officers are set to be charged for accepting R500 bribe each and performing duty in an improper manner.
The state directed that the case proceed by way of summons while police completed their investigations.
"There is strong connivance between police officers, Zimra and immigration officials in facilitating smugglers," says the police memorandum.
The three drivers who include two Zimbabweans and a Southern African have been identified as Mulombe Tshabangu, Stanley Ndlovu and a South African national Mkhululi Ncube.
The since appeared at the Plumtree Magistrates Court facing charges of smuggling last week and remanded in custody.
It is said that two assistant Inspectors a Chadza and Njaya and Constable Muleya of Mandlambuzi Police intercepted seven vehicles that were transporting smuggled goods from Botswana and directed the drivers of the vehicles to drive to the police station.
However, it is alleged that four of the vehicles escaped along the way to the station.
But the drivers of the other three vehicles -- Ndlovu, Ncube and Tshabangu -- were arrested and on searching the vehicles police found various electrical goods and clothes worth thousands of dollars which they had not declared.
"The trio later indicated that they had bribed Zimra officials to avoid paying duty and had also done the same to police and army officers at the border," says the memorandum.
They further claimed that they had been escorted from the border by one Constable Tsweruka who drove one of the vehicles, a Honda CRV after each of the seven vehicles had paid a protection fee of R500 so that they will not be searched at police road blocks.
Following the revelations by the three truck drivers, an identification parade was held for the Zimra officials.
One Stanley Maridza (25), who was alleged to have been paid R5 000 by each of the seven vehicles was identified and arrested together with another Zimra official, Praisemore Mhlanga and Tendai Masona of the Department of Immigration.
They were all charged with criminal abuse of office as public officers.
Further investigations into the matter also revealed that four other police officers based at Madlambuzi were also involved in the smuggling case.
The officers are set to be charged for accepting R500 bribe each and performing duty in an improper manner.
The state directed that the case proceed by way of summons while police completed their investigations.
"There is strong connivance between police officers, Zimra and immigration officials in facilitating smugglers," says the police memorandum.
Source - Byo24News
