Police recover smuggled goods in Mutare

Yolanda Mlilo, Sunday news reporter

211 bales of second-hand clothes, 27×50 bags of groundnuts and 60 brand new shovels were recovered at an illegal crossing point known as Monarch, Pengalonga area , Mutare on 12 October after police received a tip-off.

In a statement, the Zimbabwe Republic Police confirmed the recovery of smuggled goods.

The police received a tip about trucks carrying illegal second-hand goods crossing into the country through an unauthorized point and they set up an ambush in Penhalonga and intercepted two trucks, a Nissan UD and a Scania, carrying the illegal goods.

“The drivers of the trucks attempted to evade arrest leading to the Police deflating the tyres of both trucks. The drivers abandoned the trucks and fled from the scene leaving the smuggled goods.” reads the statement.

Police investigations have revealed that the Scania truck (AFJ 2423) is owned by Back Pack Safari, a company based in Gweru, while the Nissan UD truck (ABH 7305) is registered to J. Mapuvire Private Limited, a company located in Chivi.

According to the statement, “A cellphone recovered from the Nissan UD truck driver’s cab is suspected to belong to the driver, Fredrick Cedrick Chemusarera.”

The Zimbabwe Republic Police is committed to intensifying its efforts to combat smuggling at all borders, and will take stern action against criminal networks using illegal routes to smuggle goods into the country, in accordance with the country’s laws.

The Zimbabwe Republic Police is appealing for information which may lead to the arrest of Edmore Gopo, a Mutare based suspect who is linked to the smuggling activities.