News / Local
Truck driver in drugs smuggling scam
01 Nov 2023 at 01:54hrs | Views
A truck driver was recently apprehended at the Beitbridge Border Post in Matabeleland South by the police for unlawful possession of over 14,000ml of pharmaceutical drugs. Edison Kazingizi, aged 29, was reportedly attempting to smuggle these drugs into Zimbabwe when he was intercepted.
According to the police, the contraband was concealed within the truck, which was transporting oil drums from South Africa.
"On October 26, police in Beitbridge arrested Kazingizi at Beitbridge Border Post in connection with unlawful possession of 48x100ml of Benylin Codeine, 50x100ml Adyco Salterpyn, and 50x100ml Bron Cleer Cough Syrup," stated the police.
In a separate incident, acting on a tip-off, police in Masvingo arrested Ammon Mataruse, aged 27, Tinashe Matore, aged 19, and Tatenda Mahachi, aged 30, for the possession of illegal drugs.
Earlier this year, Interpol expressed concerns about drug trafficking in Zimbabwe, stating that drug syndicates often use the country as a transit point, particularly for cocaine and cannabis heading to other parts of the world. The Africa Organised Crime Index, in its 2021 report, also noted that Zimbabwe had become a significant inland transit country for heroin, trafficked from Tanzania and Mozambique to western and southern African markets.
According to the police, the contraband was concealed within the truck, which was transporting oil drums from South Africa.
"On October 26, police in Beitbridge arrested Kazingizi at Beitbridge Border Post in connection with unlawful possession of 48x100ml of Benylin Codeine, 50x100ml Adyco Salterpyn, and 50x100ml Bron Cleer Cough Syrup," stated the police.
In a separate incident, acting on a tip-off, police in Masvingo arrested Ammon Mataruse, aged 27, Tinashe Matore, aged 19, and Tatenda Mahachi, aged 30, for the possession of illegal drugs.
Earlier this year, Interpol expressed concerns about drug trafficking in Zimbabwe, stating that drug syndicates often use the country as a transit point, particularly for cocaine and cannabis heading to other parts of the world. The Africa Organised Crime Index, in its 2021 report, also noted that Zimbabwe had become a significant inland transit country for heroin, trafficked from Tanzania and Mozambique to western and southern African markets.
Source - newsday
