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Thupeyo Muleya Beitbridge Bureau
South Africa’s specialised crime unit, the Hawks, have taken over investigations of the case where a 38-year-old Zimbabwean woman was arrested for alleged smuggling of drugs worth R2 million into that country via Beitbridge Border Post.
The Hawks are South Africa’s Directorate for Priority Crime Investigations which targets organised crime, economic crime, corruption and other serious crimes as directed by that country’s Head of State.
Hawks spokesperson for Limpopo, Captain Matimba Maluleke said Mavis Busisiwe Thundedzwa appeared before the Musina magistrate court last week where she was remanded in custody to tomorrow pending judgement of her formal bail allocation.
The woman was arrested on May 11 at Beitbridge (South African side), while travelling from Zimbabwe to the neighbouring country.
“The accused, Thundedzwa Busisiwe Mavis (38), appeared before Musina magistrate court and the matter was remanded to June 26 for formal bail application judgement,” said Capt Maluleke.
According to the police, the suspect was arrested by police during routine border patrols.
It is alleged that on May 11 at around 6am, South African police were performing their normal duties at the Beitbridge Port of Entry under the Musina policing area when they searched Thundedzwa’s luggage.
During the search, the police found 15xCrystal meth drugs worth an estimated street value of over R2 million.
Further, preliminary police investigations revealed that Thundedzwa was travelling from Harare in Zimbabwe to South Africa.
The smuggling of drugs and explosives between Zimbabwe and South Africa’s boundary line has been on the increase.
Over 40 have been arrested between 2015 and 2017 while smuggling similar contrabands between the two countries.
In 2015 two women all from Bulawayo aged; 41 and 23 were fined R20 000 each for smuggling 180 detonators into the neighbouring country.
The other group of 14 men was intercepted in July (2014) at an illegal entry point along the Limpopo River carrying a contraband of detonators worth R350 000 and were fined R30 000 each.
Online Reporter