Online Reporter
Yeukai Karengezeka-Chisepo
Court Correspondent
TWO suspected drug dealers have appeared in court for allegedly attempting to smuggle more than 2kg of crystal methamphetamine (crystal meth) valued at over US$22 000 to South East Asia, concealing the drugs in a leather folder and ornamental sculptures.
Michelle Mupati (26) and Lorcadia Zhou (20) appeared before Harare regional magistrate Mrs Jesse Kufa facing charges of dealing in dangerous drugs.
They were remanded in custody to today for bail consideration.
Prosecutor Mr Oscar Madhume told the court that the offences occurred on two separate occasions in February and March this year.
In the first count, it is alleged that on February 16, 2026, Mupati hatched a plan to smuggle crystal meth out of Zimbabwe.
She reportedly sourced the drugs from an unknown supplier before concealing them in a leather documents folder.
The court heard that Mupati allegedly unstitched the seams of the folder and hid two packets of crystal meth inside before resealing it with glue.
She then wrapped the folder with black tape and dispatched it via a courier service in Bulawayo to an intended recipient in South East Asia.
On March 23, detectives from the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) Drugs and Narcotics unit in Harare reportedly received a tip-off and intercepted the parcel.
A preliminary field test confirmed the substance to be methamphetamine.
The recovered drugs weighed 1 112 grammes and had an estimated street value of US$11 120.
In the second count, Mupati is jointly charged with Zhou.
The State alleges that on March 21, 2026, the pair connived to smuggle additional drugs using a more elaborate method.
They allegedly purchased four hippopotamus sculptures from Bulawayo’s City Hall area and drilled holes underneath them.
The duo is said to have filled the cavities with crystal meth before sealing them with matching material and glue to avoid detection.
The sculptures were then wrapped in newspaper and sent through a courier service to South East Asia.
Acting on intelligence, CID Drugs and Narcotics detectives intercepted the parcel on March 23. The second batch weighed approximately 1,12kg, bringing the total weight of the seized drugs to over 2.2kg, with a combined street value exceeding US$22 000.
