Online Reporter
Thupeyo Muleya, Beitbridge Bureau
The police deployed to Beitbridge have destroyed a total of 24 pressure boats, which are used by smugglers to move goods and migrants between Zimbabwe and South Africa through illegal crossing points along the Limpopo River.
Officer commanding the police in Beitbridge Chief Superintendent Mesuli Ncube said they had managed to arrest some of the people whom they found using the boats while others fled, leaving their boats behind.
He said some wood and logs-rafts were burnt on site at the various illegal crossing points along the river.
Chief Supt Ncube commended community members for passing on vital information that helped them crack smuggling syndicates at the river.
“We are not relenting on our quest to fight crime at the Limpopo River. Today, we are destroying 24 pressure boats, which we recovered at various crossing points along the river,” he said.
“Those we arrested are standing trial at the courts for various crimes and we want to strongly warn several others involved in a similar trade that their days are numbered.
“At the same time, we want to thank community members for sharing information that is helping us to fight crime in the district”.
He said between January and December last year the police arrested a total of 1476 people for crimes relating to smuggling, 515 for drug peddling and 9056 for crimes linked to irregular migration, touting at the border and for violating the Protected Places and Areas Act among other criminal vices.
Authorities believe that intrusive leakages could be costing the country over millions of dollars annually in unpaid customs duty.
It is understood that the organised evasion of duties is also compromising State’s development projects and the viability of businesses that abide by all customs requirements.
Common goods that are being smuggled into the country include building material, vehicles, flea market wares, illicit medicines, groceries, fuel, electrical gadgets and vehicles, among others.
On the export side, both small-time and well established dealers are smuggling mainly minerals, cigarettes, and stolen livestock.
