Detective caught with contraband worth thousands

Thupeyo Muleya, Beitbridge Bureau

A Gwanda-based detective and his female accomplice have been arrested along the Beitbridge–Masvingo Highway after being found transporting an assortment of marijuana and banned cough syrup believed to have been smuggled into the country from South Africa.

Leonard Mashava (35) and Oprah Nomagugu Ndavambi (27) were arrested during a routine anti-smuggling check at the Bubi security checkpoint on January 3 while travelling towards Masvingo.

The two appeared before Beitbridge Regional Magistrate Ms Charity Maphosa on Monday, where they were charged with contravening provisions of the Criminal Law (Reform and Codification) Act and the Medicines and Allied Substances Control Act.

They were remanded in custody to January 19.

Prosecutor Mr Willbrought Muleya told the court that on January 3, 2026, at around 4pm, and at the Lion and Elephant Motel, at the 80-kilometre peg along the Beitbridge–Masvingo Road, the accused were travelling in a silver Toyota Hilux.

The vehicle, which was being driven by Mashava while Ndavambi was seated in the passenger seat, was stopped at a roadblock manned by members of the National Task Force, for a routine search.

Mr Muleya said officers searched the vehicle and recovered seven boxes containing a total of 155 cobs of marijuana (dagga/mbanje) wrapped in black plastic.

Further searches of the vehicle led to the discovery of 14 additional boxes, also wrapped in black plastic, containing a total of 1 050 bottles of 100ml Astra Pain cough syrup and 1 600 bottles of 100ml Broncleer cough syrup.

The unregistered medicines have an estimated street value of US$13 250, while the value of the seized marijuana is yet to be established. The contraband has since been seized by the police.

In a bid to curb the growing drug menace, the Government has established an Inter-Ministerial Committee to develop strategies and co-ordinate responses to drug and substance abuse in the country.

Additionally, four ZRP Drugs and Narcotics Units have been set up at major border posts, namely Beitbridge, Victoria Falls, Chirundu and Mutare.

New technologies, including the use of drones, are also being deployed to monitor the country’s borders alongside traditional surveillance methods to reduce the smuggling and trafficking of illicit drugs.