By A Correspondent- A syndicate in South Africa has been unmasked as four Zimbabwean women reportedly face 20-year jail terms in Mauritius after they smuggled 1,487 kg of heroin worth R22 million in their bellies and bags.

The alleged drug mules Mercy Mudembo, 24, Kohwai Lisa, 24, Mitchel Makuwaza and Patience Sami were arrested upon arrival at Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam (SSR) International Airport in Mauritius from South Africa.

The four allegedly disguised in religious T-shirts and lied to customs officials that they were on a Catholic Church pilgrimage.

Reports say their bosses are based in South Africa and recruit Zimbabwean women promising huge amounts of money then eventually use them as drug mules.

Furthermore, it is alleged that the mules are fed heroin with instructions not to eat anything until they arrive at their destination so that they excrete pellets of heroine.

One Mery Kahla who identified one of the women named Mitchel Makuwaza lamented how she had left her nine month old baby and husband in Kempton Park.

“Ohhh my goodness second from left is my sister’s best friend ane mwana haasati ambosvitsa gore i am so shocked and crying at the same time, she moved to Johannesburg last year hanzvadzi yake iri kuno ku Capetown.

“I just called my sister hapana kana hama yake ikuzviziva akasiya mwana nemurume wacho, murume wacho hanzi arikuti akaenda ku London ndabuda musodzi ndakatombogara naye mwana uyu,” she said.

A source who escaped by a whisker after she was almost recruited to join the syndicate revealed to H-Metro how the syndicate operates.

“Yvette ndiye anouya oti haudi kuenda kunze kwenyika here, paunodzoka wopihwa R20 000 kana wadzoka and anongokupa contact yema Nigerians then meet up with them.

“Ana Yvette basa ravo kurecruiter vaskana then u go moudzwa zvekuita.

“If passport is overstayed they fix it for you chavanoda kuti uende chete.

“U won’t be knowing kwaukuenda munhu arikumberi ndiye anokuonai kana masvika be it neHembe dzamenge makapfeka or Pic or number.

“You know around Kempton Park kwakazara maNigerians and they always recruit girls kuti vaende nzvimbo dzakasiyana delivering drugs but ana Mitchy they thought they could aim big going overseas with drugs.

“Dai vasina kubvuma kuenda kunze at least deliver around SA sezvinoita vamwe zvaive nani,” said the source.

H-Metro contacted Yvette from South Africa for comment and she threw obscenities to this reporter saying they got what they deserved.

“Makuzondibhowa manje, tsvagai ma criminals kwete kutsvagana nesu, saka mati mukati H-Metro ndovhunduka here.

“H-Metro inoshanda kwamuri not kwandiri kuno, ivo vaida mari vakama*a, asi mari yacho manga muchiidawo here,” she said.

Rosh Cee wrote a comment on Facebook on how the drug mules are used by drug lords.

“It’s a cartel guys, at the airport they usually know who has drugs… so even if you report I’m sure the kingpins would know uri snitch and either way unourayiwa.

“Security is not as clean as we think, vanozobatwa ava its just a destruction otherwise pakatopfuura lots of kgs zuva racho iroro.

“Otherwise pakatopinda zi huge consignment on the other side but the officials were tipped to look out for vasikana vema t-shirts, attention yese ikaiswa ikoko.

“Kunobatiswa one or a few to cause confusion and shift attention from the main horses vanenge vane bigger stuff,” she said.

Lulu Mutomba added:

“Hakuna munhu anomedza madrugs asingazive zvaari kuita.

“Uyo ane mwana knew the risk yacho before she did and she chose dirty money over mwana.

“Some of us have been approached but ukaramba vanosiyana newe.

“Working an honest job has never killed any1, nyaya yequick money ndiyo inonetsa.

“These people befriend u vokuratidza good life, so iwe if u struggling u will want in on the game.

“That’s when they tell u how they do it and how easy it is and they rarely lie to you.

“Unotoudzwa pachena senyaya at first and when they come vanouya vakachena all glamourous even take you out for a bit se girls.

“And iwewe unotozvibvunza kuti ko sei zvangu zvirikuramba you ask ka uchida kuziva how they are doing it woudzwaa pachena chena but then decision to join is all yours hautombomanikidzwe plus vanenge vanotoona face kuti haa ava ndohwina ava.

“Asi kumedza unenge uchitoziva zvauri kuita zvasiyana nekunzi huya kusouth ndakuwanira basa woti wasvika ikoko woona yohwee ava vanotokuudza pachena.

“They have their people scouting in different locations looking out for vanoda zveku slayer nhema vaye vanoda the good life.

“Just be careful and do not trust anyone or wish to have someone else’s life.

“Aya madhiri unotopinda uchiziva.

“Kungoti zvakaenda nepamwe,” she said.

-StateMedia