Police blitz nets more smugglers

Post Reporters
POLICE blitz in Rusape and Mutare intercepted trucks carrying an assortment of contrabands that had been smuggled from Mozambique and destined for the black market in Harare. The Rusape raid occurred at around 4:30am last Saturday and led to the arrest of the truck driver, Virimayi Nyamaharo, of Glen View 7, Harare, at Rusape toll gate.
Manicaland provincial police spokesperson, Inspector Tavhiringwa Kakohwa, said Nyamaharo was driving a DAF truck carrying 139 bales of second hand clothes, 19 sacks of second hand shoes, 521x2litres of assorted soft drinks, 408x200ml Smirnoff ciders and 540x200ml of the illegal masoja whisky which had been smuggled from Mozambique.
The arrest follows another one made recently when police in Rusape impounded another truck that had 527 bales of second hand clothes and shoes valued at nearly $80 000 that were destined for Bulawayo.
In Mutare, the trio of David Tembo (52), Nando Katemba (37) and Augustine Badza were arrested for smuggling 27 bales of second hand clothing from Mozambique.
The three pleaded guilty when they appeared before senior Mutare magistrate, Mrs Sekai Chiundura last week.
Mr Fletcher Karombe said the three used an illegal Border Streams crossing point to smuggle their loot into Zimbabwe.
He said police acting on the intelligence they had received laid an ambush and intercepted a Toyota Dyna truck (Registration Number ABO 6454) they were using.
Ms Chiundura ordered each to pay $200 fine or four months imprisonment.