Thupeyo Muleya, Beitbridge Bureau
The Zimbabwe Revenue Authority (Zimra) has intercepted controlled medicines with an estimated street value of US$23,375 during a vehicle inspection at Beitbridge Border Post on Monday.
In a statement issued on Wednesday, Zimra said its officers were conducting a routine vehicle inspection when a rattling sound from a 20-litre plastic drum selected for scanning prompted further inspection, revealing bottles of Broncleer.
A subsequent search of the vehicle and trailer led to the discovery of 2,600 units of Broncleer, 1,650 units of Benylin and 425 units of Astra Pain.
“The vehicle and controlled goods were seized, and the driver was arrested by the police. The matter is still under investigation,” said Zimra in the statement.
“Zimra remains committed to combating smuggling and protecting communities.”
The latest seizure is part of the ongoing joint operations by the Revenue Authority and other Government agencies to curb smuggling and other illegal activities at the country’s official ports of entry and along their flanks.
Zimra has been working closely with the Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP), the Department of Immigration, the Zimbabwe National Army, the Medicines Control Authority of Zimbabwe (MCAZ), and the Ministry of Health and Child Care, among others, under Operation ‘No to Cross Border Crimes’ and other inter-agency deployments.
The agencies have intensified patrols, vehicle searches, drone surveillance and intelligence sharing, particularly at Beitbridge — the country’s busiest border post — where smugglers often attempt to sneak in controlled medicines, drugs, undeclared goods and contraband through both the official border and illegal crossing points.
