Online Reporter
Christopher Nyika
SECURITY forces have intercepted 21 chest freezers worth about R110 000 that were being smuggled into the country from South Africa along the Beitbridge border.
The joint team of Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) and Zimbabwe National Army (ZNA) officers, deployed under Operation No to Cross Border Crimes Phase 19, made the bust near the spillway area while conducting routine patrols along the Limpopo River.
Authorities said the smugglers bolted after spotting the patrol team, abandoning the freezers in a desperate bid to avoid arrest. The operation is part of ongoing efforts to crush smuggling and other cross-border crimes that continue to drain the economy.
Investigations are underway to identify the culprits behind the attempted smuggling and determine the intended destination of the appliances.
Security officials said the interception shows how border syndicates keep trying their luck but often end up getting “frozen out” by the law.
The recovered chest freezers have since been secured as investigations continue.
Bongani Ndlovu
Bunjiwe Mkwananzi