Chronicle Editor
Thupeyo Muleya, Beitbridge Bureau
A TOTAL of 314 suspected criminals were on Thursday arrested around the highways leading to the Zimbabwe-South Africa border during an all-female operation dubbed “Basadi”.
The simultaneous operation was conducted by female members of the police force and the army from the two countries.
The initiative is being conducted in support of Zimbabwe’s operation “No to cross border crimes” and another in South Africa dubbed “Thatha Zonke” (Take everything).
Zimbabwe’s national police spokesperson Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi said strategic deployments were made at most crime hot spots.
He said police were targeting various cross-border crimes including stock theft, theft of telecommunication electrical batteries, and entry/exit by evasion, among others.
“We are not relenting in our quest to bring sanity along the border with South Africa, which some criminal elements want to turn into their playground,” said Asst Comm Nyathi.
“We have resorted to collaborating with other security agents and our counterparts in South Africa to ensure that we don’t give the cross-border criminals breathing space.
“In the operation launched on Thursday, we managed to make cumulative arrests of 314 people”.
He said the suspects were arrested for possession of stolen property and illicit cigarettes, entry/exit by evasion, traffic offences, violating Covid-19 regulations.
In addition, four bus crews were arrested while picking border jumpers at an illegal crossing point on South Africa’s side of the Limpopo River.
Asst Comm Nyathi urged Zimbabweans and foreign nationals to always adhere to set customs and immigration laws in the two countries.
Meanwhile, Beitbridge Resident Magistrate Mr Toyindepi Zhou ordered the deportation of 25 Malawian border jumpers who were intercepted by the department of immigration’s compliance and enforcement unit on Thursday morning.
The group made up of women aged 21 years was travelling from Harare to South Africa in an intercity bus after sneaking into the country near an illegal crossing point at Nyamapanda Border Post.
Among the group, 16 immigrants had unstamped passports while the rest were undocumented.
Zimbabwe beefed up security along the border with South Africa in January to curb intrusive leakages and other rent-seeking activities which authorities believe could be costing the country more than US$1 billion annually in unpaid import duty.
The organised evasion of duties is also reported to be compromising State development projects and the viability of businesses that abide by customs requirements.
The common goods that are being smuggled into the country include building material, explosives, flea market wares, illicit medicines, groceries, fuel, and electrical gadgets.
Minerals, cigarettes, explosives, and stolen livestock are the most popular items being smuggled out of the country. @tupeyo
Online Reporter