Online Reporter
Thupeyo Muleya
Beitbridge Bureau
A Gwanda based detective and his female accomplice have been arrested along the Beitbridge to Masvingo highway while transporting an assortment of marijuana and banned cough syrup that is believed to have been smuggled into the country from South Africa.
Leonard Mashava (35) and Oprah Nomagugu Ndavambi (27) were busted during a routine anti-smuggling routine check at the Bubi security checkpoint on January 3 while travelling towards Masvingo.
The two were dragged before Beitbridge Regional Magistrate Charity Maphosa on Monday charged for contravening a section of the Criminal Law Reform and Codification Act and the Medicines and Allied Substances Control Act respectively.
They were both remanded in custody to January 19 in the interim.
Prosecuting, Mr Willbrought Muleya, said on January 3, 2026 and at around 4 pm and at Lion and Elephant Motel, 80-kilometre peg along Beitbridge – Masvingo Road, the accused persons were travelling in a silver Toyota Hilux.
The vehicle was being driven by Mashava whilst Ndavambi was seated on the passenger seat when they were stopped for a search by members of National Task Force who were manning a roadblock.
He said the security team then searched the vehicle leading to the recovery of seven boxes, which were packed with a total of 155 cobs of marijuana (dagga/ mbanje) wrapped with a black plastic.
Further searches were carried out in the car, which led to the recovery of 14 boxes wrapped with black plastics with a total of 1050 x 100mls Astra pain cough syrup and 1600 x 100mls Broncleer cough syrup.
The unregistered medicines have a street value of US$13 250 while the value of the mbanje is yet to be established.
The contraband has since been seized by the police.
To thwart the drug menace, the Government has since set up an Inter-Ministerial Committee to formulate strategies and coordinate responses to the issue of drug and substance abuse in the country.
In addition, four ZRP Drugs and Narcotics Units have been established at four border posts, namely: Beitbridge; Victoria Falls; Chirundu; and Mutare.
New technologies like drones are also being used to monitor the country’s borders in addition to the traditional surveillance methods in order to reduce smuggling and trafficking of drugs.
Mathew Masinge