adminThupeyo Muleya Beitbridge Bureau
A 38-year-old Zimbabwean woman who was arrested by South African police last week in connection with the smuggling of drugs worth R2 million into that country via Beitbridge Border Post has been denied bail by a Musina Magistrates’ Court.
Sources close to the case said last week Mavis Thundeza had been remanded in custody to June 6 for trial.
“The suspect aged 38 years, who was arrested at the border with crystal meth appeared today before Musina Magistrates’ Court and the case was reminded to June 6, 2019. She is in custody, she was not granted bail,” said the official.
Limpopo police spokesperson Colonel Moatshe Ngoepe said the woman was arrested on May 11 at around 6am while travelling from Zimbabwe to the neighbouring country.
He said Thundeza was arrested by police during routine border patrols.
“It is alleged that on Sunday (May 11) at around 6am, our members were performing their normal duties at the Beitbridge Port of Entry in the Musina Policing area when they searched the luggage belonging to the 38-year-old woman. During the search, police found 15 x crystal meth drugs with the estimated street value of over R2 million.
“Preliminary police investigations revealed that this woman was travelling from Harare in Zimbabwe to South Africa,” said Col Ngoepe.
The smuggling of drugs and explosives between Zimbabwe and South Africa’s boundary line has been on the increase.
Over 40 people have been arrested between 2015 and 2017 while smuggling contraband 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.
Online Reporter