By Patience Gondo
A ZIMRA employee and three others have been arrested in Beitbridge over the alleged theft of 147 bottles of Broncleer cough syrup that were being held at the revenue authority’s warehouse pending disposal instructions.
The arrests followed an operation by CID Beitbridge detectives on Wednesday after they received information that one of the suspects was allegedly in possession of unregistered medicines.
Speaking to Ziyah News Network on condition of anonymity, a source familiar with the case said detectives intercepted Linnet Chimhete near the Roman Catholic Church at around 8.40am and searched her vehicle.
“The search allegedly led to the recovery of a white 50kg sack containing 147 bottles of 100ml Broncleer cough syrup from the back seat of a white Mazda Demio, registration number AGY 9184,”He said.
Chimhete, who is employed at the ZIMRA Warehouse in Beitbridge, allegedly told detectives that she had taken the cough syrup from her workplace.
The source said the medicines were being held by ZIMRA as exhibits.
Chimhete allegedly implicated Eunice Langalanga 43 and Tinotenda Maphosa, 38 saying the two were expected to assist her in disposing of the cough syrup.
She also allegedly implicated Simbarashe Chekure, who was responsible for opening and servicing fire extinguishers at the warehouse.
According to the source, Chekure allegedly gave Chimhete keys to the fire extinguisher room, which she allegedly used to access a fire escape door and hide the sack containing the cough syrup.
Langalanga, Maphosa and Chekure were subsequently arrested in connection with the case.
The arrests come against the background of continued efforts by law enforcement agencies to curb drug trafficking, smuggling and the movement of unregistered medicines in Beitbridge.
The border town is a major transit point between Zimbabwe and South Africa, making it a key area for law enforcement operations targeting illicit goods moving through the country.
At the time of publication, Ziyah News Network had not obtained comment the Zimbabwe Republic Police.
Deputy police commander of Beitbridge police district Superintendent Philisani Ndebele referred all questions to his head office in Harare.