State Media

Two smugglers towing a trailer of smuggled goods and mbanje were arrested following a high-speed chase along the Beitbridge-Bulawayo Highway on Sunday morning after they smashed through security booms at the border post.

Polite Moyo (33) of Bulawayo and Buhlebenkosi Ncube (29) of Beitbridge arrived in Zimbabwe on Sunday at around 5am together with a third accomplice, who is still at large.

They were travelling in a South African- registered Toyota Quantum towing a trailer loaded with the contraband.

It is alleged that the three did not comply with any customs or security protocols and drove off, smashing through the boom gates, resulting in a high-speed chase with the police along the Beitbridge-Bulawayo Highway.

They were cornered in the Mazunga area, some 60km west of Beitbridge Border Post. The police are now pursuing the third culprit. Matabeleland South police acting spokesperson Inspector Loveness Mangena said the two had been charged for smuggling and dealing with dangerous drugs and will appear in court today.

Insp Mangena said the car was laden with a 33kv electricity transformer, an assortment of groceries and 2kg of mbanje. The suspects were asked to produce customs declaration forms and failed.

“The goods, whose value is yet to be ascertained, and the Toyota Quantum and its trailer have since been seized by the Zimbabwe Revenue Authority,” she said.

“We are pursuing the third suspect and we encourage the travelling public to always comply with rules and regulations of all ports of entry/exit or officials manning these points. Any violations of the law will result in arrests.”

The smuggling of goods between South Africa and Zimbabwe through Beitbridge Border Post has increased in the last three weeks, prompting Zimra to tighten screws.

According to Zimra, anti-smuggling initiatives have seen it netting $20 million in additional revenue between June and August.