adminThupeyo Muleya Beitbridge Bureau
TWO people were arrested yesterday after a truck load of 790 boxes of quality cigarettes worth $119,000 destined for South Africa was intercepted near Beitbridge.
Sources close to the investigations said yesterday that the truck driver, Stanley Thinthitha Mpofu ,56, of Mkoba suburb in Gweru and Liberty Amisi Nyanguwo, 26, of Eastlea in Harare have been arrested in connection with the matter.
The duo was intercepted at around 5AM at Matshiloni area some 45km along the Beitbridge-Masvingo road where they intended to offload the contraband into small trucks for onward transportation to an illegal crossing point in Musetshe along the Limpopo River.
The truck belongs to Textain Investments of Uppington Road, Ardbennie in Harare.
“We intercepted the truck around Matshiloni area where these suspects usually drop off the contrabands for onwards transmission to smuggling points into South Africa. The two suspects are now in custody while the truck and the contraband has been seized by Zimra,” said a source.
“Mpofu and Nyanguwo are likely to be charged for illegal possession of goods liable for excise duty. The Remmington Gold cigarettes were loaded in Harare and we have since established that Nyanguwo was escorting the contraband.”
Matabeleland South police spokesperson, Inspector Philisani Ndebele, said he was yet to get details on the matter.
South Africa charges high rates on cigarettes imports from outside the Southern African Customs Union (SACU) which includes Swaziland, Lesotho and Botswana.
This has led to a marked increase in cases of smuggling between Zimbabwe and South Africa.
Investigations reveal that most of the cigarettes are repackaged when they reach South Africa before being shipped to either Europe or Asia.
A box of cigarettes is sold for an average of $150 on the official market in Zimbabwe and R8,000 in South Africa.
Online Reporter