News / National
2 Britons remanded in Zimbabwe over drug trafficking charges
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Two British nationals accused of drug trafficking in Zimbabwe will remain behind bars after a Harare court deferred its ruling on their bail application, leaving them to endure more nights in remand prison.
Tihaise Darlin Elisha (18) and Taylor Tamara Simone (20), both hailing from Birmingham in the United Kingdom, were arrested at Robert Gabriel Mugabe International Airport on May 1, 2025, after authorities uncovered a large quantity of cannabis hidden in their luggage.
The pair appeared before the Harare Magistrates Court on May 3 and were further remanded to May 15 for the determination of their bail. They are facing charges of unlawful possession of dangerous drugs in contravention of Zimbabwe's criminal statutes.
According to state prosecutors, Elisha and Simone arrived in the country aboard an Ethiopian Airways flight. Upon collecting their luggage from the carousel, they were summoned to the customs searching bay. A routine inspection of their four suitcases revealed 124 packets of dagga concealed inside.
The drugs, weighing a total of 66.9 kilograms, are estimated to have a street value of US$669,000. The contraband was seized by detectives from the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) Narcotics Unit, who arrested the suspects on the spot.
The court heard that investigations are still ongoing, and the prosecution has opposed bail, arguing that the accused are foreign nationals with no fixed address in Zimbabwe, posing a significant flight risk.
Meanwhile, the pair remains detained at a local remand facility pending their next court appearance. The case has attracted public attention due to the high street value of the seized drugs and the involvement of foreign nationals.
Zimbabwean authorities have in recent years tightened security and surveillance at all ports of entry in a bid to curb transnational drug trafficking.
Tihaise Darlin Elisha (18) and Taylor Tamara Simone (20), both hailing from Birmingham in the United Kingdom, were arrested at Robert Gabriel Mugabe International Airport on May 1, 2025, after authorities uncovered a large quantity of cannabis hidden in their luggage.
The pair appeared before the Harare Magistrates Court on May 3 and were further remanded to May 15 for the determination of their bail. They are facing charges of unlawful possession of dangerous drugs in contravention of Zimbabwe's criminal statutes.
According to state prosecutors, Elisha and Simone arrived in the country aboard an Ethiopian Airways flight. Upon collecting their luggage from the carousel, they were summoned to the customs searching bay. A routine inspection of their four suitcases revealed 124 packets of dagga concealed inside.
The drugs, weighing a total of 66.9 kilograms, are estimated to have a street value of US$669,000. The contraband was seized by detectives from the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) Narcotics Unit, who arrested the suspects on the spot.
The court heard that investigations are still ongoing, and the prosecution has opposed bail, arguing that the accused are foreign nationals with no fixed address in Zimbabwe, posing a significant flight risk.
Meanwhile, the pair remains detained at a local remand facility pending their next court appearance. The case has attracted public attention due to the high street value of the seized drugs and the involvement of foreign nationals.
Zimbabwean authorities have in recent years tightened security and surveillance at all ports of entry in a bid to curb transnational drug trafficking.
Source - NewZimbabwe
