By Patience Gondo
Beitbridge Police District Chief Supritendent Mesuli Ncube has appealed to the public to help police expose what he described as the “big fishes” behind rising drug smuggling syndicates operating through Beitbridge.
Ncube said police are aware that organised criminal networks are coordinating the smuggling of drugs into Zimbabwe using buses and haulage trucks passing through the border town.
Speaking to Ziyah News Network after the interception of large quantities of illicit substances at the Beitbridge border on Monday night, Ncube urged members of the public with information on drug dealers and drug bases to cooperate with law enforcement authorities.
“We know there are big fishes behind the scenes and we are appealing to anyone who knows people or bases of drugs to report the matter to the nearest police station even if it is outside the district,” said Ncube.
The concern comes as Beitbridge is recording a rise in drug smuggling cases, with buses increasingly being used to transport illicit substances from South Africa into Zimbabwe.
Police on Monday at around 10pm at the border intercepted 499 bottles of 100ml BronCleer cough syrup and 396 bottles of 100ml Astra in a Linkway Coaches bus travelling from South Africa to Harare.
In a separate incident, police also recovered 397 bottles of 100ml BronCleer cough syrup, 48 bottles of 100ml Still Pain syrup and 0.850 kilogrammes of dagga from a Munenzva Bus travelling to Mutare.
Ncube confirmed the suspects linked to the smuggling incidents had been arrested and were expected to appear in court on Tuesday.
“We are worried about the sudden rise of drug smuggling through buses and haulage trucks.”
“This month alone we have recovered so many drugs at the border, meaning people are getting a lot of money from drugs,” he said.
Ncube said the drugs recovered from the Linkway bus were part of a controlled delivery operation destined for Masvingo.
A controlled delivery is a law enforcement operation in which police monitor and allow a suspicious consignment to continue moving under surveillance in order to identify and arrest the intended recipients and suspected masterminds behind the smuggling network.
“To those smuggling drugs into Zimbabwe, please stop it,” said Ncube.
The latest arrests come amid growing concern over drug and substance abuse in Matabeleland South.
In May, Minister of State for Provincial Affairs and Devolution Hon Albert Nguluvhe said 398 people had been arrested for drug-related offences in the province this year alone.
Nguluvhe said of those arrested, 233 appeared in court, resulting in 161 convictions.
He said 165 offenders paid admission of guilt fines at station level.
He also said 169 of those arrested were women, while 119 suspects were identified as drug suppliers, including 61 female suppliers.