Online Reporter
Yeukai Karengezeka-Chisepo
Court Correspondent
A POLICE officer attached to the CID Drugs and Narcotics Unit in Beitbridge has appeared in court facing charges of allegedly smuggling dangerous drugs and unregistered pharmaceutical medicines with an estimated street value of more than US$50 000.
John Mashoko appeared before Harare magistrate Ms Feresi Chakanyuka charged with dealing in dangerous drugs and unlawful possession of unregistered medicines.
He was remanded in custody pending a bail application today (Wednesday).
The State, led by prosecutor Mrs Heather Mhlanga-Muokoto, alleges that on July 18, 2026, at around 6pm, police received credible information that Mashoko had smuggled dagga and unregistered pharmaceutical medicines into Zimbabwe through illegal crossing points along the Limpopo River, west of the Beitbridge Border Post.
It is alleged that the accused used his grey Toyota Axio as a gateway vehicle to ferry the contraband from the river into the country.
Later that evening, at about 9pm, police received further information that Mashoko had booked Room 1 at Buffalo Lodge, located at the 15km peg along the Beitbridge–Masvingo Road, while travelling to Harare, where he allegedly intended to sell the drugs.
Acting on the tip-off, detectives proceeded to the lodge, where they located the suspect’s vehicle parked within the premises before mounting an overnight surveillance operation.
On July 19, at around 4am, Mashoko, who was in the company of Tawanda Kumbirai (27), a nurse employed by the Ministry of Health and Child Care at Beitbridge General Hospital, checked out of the lodge.
The State alleges that Mashoko took the driver’s seat while Kumbirai occupied the front passenger seat before detectives identified themselves and requested permission to search the vehicle.
The search allegedly led to the recovery of 26 compressed cobs of dagga weighing 40,8 kilogrammes and 200 bottles of 100ml BronCleer cough syrup containing codeine, which were concealed in the boot of the vehicle.
Both men were arrested, and the dagga, pharmaceutical medicines, Toyota Axio, a Samsung Galaxy A17 mobile phone and other cellphones were seized.
Investigations allegedly revealed numerous text messages, WhatsApp conversations and audio recordings on the seized phones relating to the acquisition, transportation, distribution and sale of dagga and unregistered pharmaceutical medicines.
The recovered dagga and pharmaceutical medicines have an estimated street value of US$50 960.
