News / Local
Police bust drug trafficking rings in Beitbridge
01 Jul 2025 at 12:26hrs | Views
Two major drug trafficking operations have been foiled by Zimbabwean police in Beitbridge, resulting in the arrest of three suspects and the seizure of illicit substances valued at more than US$34,000, the Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) confirmed on Monday.
In the first incident, Runesu Emmanuel (37) and Tinashe Chivende (27) were arrested on June 28 for unlawful dealing in dangerous drugs after being intercepted at a security checkpoint along the Mazunga–Muranda dust road. The pair was travelling in a Toyota Wish, registration number AEQ 3565, when police acted on a tip-off.
"Police in Beitbridge acted on received information and intercepted the vehicle. A search was conducted, leading to the recovery of 307.568 kilograms of dagga with a street value of US$30,756.80," read a statement from the ZRP.
In a separate case, Tarusarira Tauya (35) was apprehended in Harare on June 29 after allegedly receiving a consignment of unregistered medicine that had been smuggled from Beitbridge.
The arrest followed an anti-smuggling operation by detectives from the CID Drugs and Narcotics unit stationed at Beitbridge Border Post. On June 28, the team intercepted a Rimbi Bus Tours coach and discovered 742 bottles of Broncleer cough syrup — each 100ml — concealed inside. The contraband was reportedly being couriered to Harare.
CID detectives in the capital then tracked the recipient and arrested Tauya at a garage along Simon Mazorodze Road as he was loading the cough syrup into a silver Toyota Wish, registration number AFY 3876. The street value of the recovered medicine was pegged at US$3,700.
Police say investigations into both cases are ongoing.
"The ZRP continues to intensify its fight against drug and substance abuse, and we urge members of the public to cooperate with law enforcement agencies by reporting any suspicious activities linked to drug trafficking," the statement added.
The twin operations underscore growing concerns about Zimbabwe's role as both a transit and destination point for narcotics, particularly along border towns such as Beitbridge.
In the first incident, Runesu Emmanuel (37) and Tinashe Chivende (27) were arrested on June 28 for unlawful dealing in dangerous drugs after being intercepted at a security checkpoint along the Mazunga–Muranda dust road. The pair was travelling in a Toyota Wish, registration number AEQ 3565, when police acted on a tip-off.
"Police in Beitbridge acted on received information and intercepted the vehicle. A search was conducted, leading to the recovery of 307.568 kilograms of dagga with a street value of US$30,756.80," read a statement from the ZRP.
In a separate case, Tarusarira Tauya (35) was apprehended in Harare on June 29 after allegedly receiving a consignment of unregistered medicine that had been smuggled from Beitbridge.
The arrest followed an anti-smuggling operation by detectives from the CID Drugs and Narcotics unit stationed at Beitbridge Border Post. On June 28, the team intercepted a Rimbi Bus Tours coach and discovered 742 bottles of Broncleer cough syrup — each 100ml — concealed inside. The contraband was reportedly being couriered to Harare.
CID detectives in the capital then tracked the recipient and arrested Tauya at a garage along Simon Mazorodze Road as he was loading the cough syrup into a silver Toyota Wish, registration number AFY 3876. The street value of the recovered medicine was pegged at US$3,700.
Police say investigations into both cases are ongoing.
"The ZRP continues to intensify its fight against drug and substance abuse, and we urge members of the public to cooperate with law enforcement agencies by reporting any suspicious activities linked to drug trafficking," the statement added.
The twin operations underscore growing concerns about Zimbabwe's role as both a transit and destination point for narcotics, particularly along border towns such as Beitbridge.
Source - Cite
