Bodies and drugs smuggled across Beitbridge border

A chilling smuggling syndicate involving cross-border bus and truck drivers, allegedly operating with the help of corrupt customs, police, and health officials, has been exposed for illegally transporting undocumented human remains and drugs through the Beitbridge Border Post.

Investigations by Check Point have revealed a clandestine operation where desperate Zimbabwean families, unable to afford the steep repatriation costs for loved ones who die in South Africa - often undocumented - resort to this illegal network. Bodies are disguised as luggage, stashed in trailers or hidden in cargo holds, and passed through customs with the help of bribes. Even more disturbingly, drug traffickers have co-opted the practice, concealing narcotics beneath or inside corpses to smuggle them across undetected.

A recent funeral in Musana, Mashonaland Central, has cast new light on this illicit trade. Misheck Musana, a 27-year-old Zimbabwean who died in Johannesburg after entering South Africa without proper documentation, was smuggled back home via a cross-border bus without the legal paperwork. His grieving family revealed the extreme lengths they had to go to in order to afford a burial.

"We had no money to process the papers and cover the transportation of the body," said a close relative who requested anonymity. "We wrapped his coffin in a blanket and hid it in a trailer like any other bag. The drivers paid US$200 at the border to make it through."

They paid US$500 to transporters in Johannesburg. Once across the Zimbabwean border, the body was allegedly transferred to a local funeral parlour known to work with the syndicate, bypassing all official procedures, including obtaining a burial order.

Cross-border drivers confirmed the widespread nature of the practice. One long-time operator, who identified himself only as Shutori, admitted he had been smuggling bodies since 2015.

"It's expensive to bring back a body the legal way," he said. "Most families just don't have US$3,000. For R5,000 (about US$275), we can help them. Everyone knows someone who does this."

The cost of official repatriation from South Africa - particularly for undocumented migrants - can reach up to US$3,000 by road and more than US$5,000 by air. In contrast, the illegal network offers "assistance" for as little as US$500. But this low-cost alternative comes with significant risk - not just of arrest, but also of further exploitation.

Drug traffickers have reportedly taken advantage of the scheme, using coffins as cover to smuggle high-value contraband. In June 2024, three men were arrested at Beitbridge for hiding pistols and Broncleer syrup inside a coffin. Just months later, four transporters were caught trying to sneak US$25,000 worth of drugs into Zimbabwe using a fake burial order and an empty casket.

Some sources fear this may escalate into a new form of organised crime, with whispers that individuals could be murdered just to smuggle drugs under the cover of legitimate funerals.

Deputy Minister of Health and Child Care Sleiman Kwidini confirmed authorities are aware of attempts to smuggle contraband in coffins and warned against the dangers of bypassing repatriation protocols.

"While we have not received formal complaints about smuggling of bodies, our teams are aware that coffins are being misused to transport illegal goods, including drugs," Kwidini said.

Police sources said they are still gathering information from relevant departments before making an official statement. However, insiders acknowledge the growing concern over the porous nature of Beitbridge Border Post, Zimbabwe's busiest entry point, and the apparent complicity of corrupt border officials in enabling these operations.

The scandal raises serious questions about national security, public health, and the ethical handling of deceased persons. As Zimbabwe's diaspora continues to grow, so too does the challenge of ensuring dignified, safe, and lawful repatriation for its citizens - dead or alive.