Bulgarian Fake Investor arrested for Car Theft and Smuggling

Harare, Zimbabwe — A 33-year-old Bulgarian national, Adam Markov, who had been posing as an investor, has been arrested on allegations of stealing a Jeep Cherokee from South Africa and smuggling it into Zimbabwe using fake registration plates.

Markov was apprehended on January 10, 2025, by detectives from the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) Vehicle Theft Squad (VTS), with assistance from the International Criminal Police Organisation (Interpol).

He appeared in court on Saturday and was remanded in custody pending a bail hearing set for Monday.

According to the State, Markov smuggled the stolen vehicle into Zimbabwe after affixing fraudulent registration plates marked AGQ 6923.

Investigations revealed that the Jeep’s original chassis number had been tampered with, replaced by a fake identifier, 1C4RJFFGXCC167643.

However, the original engine number, CC142923, remained intact.

Interpol checks confirmed that the vehicle had been stolen in South Africa, with its original chassis number identified as 1C4RJFGG3CC142923.

The CID is now working with South African authorities to locate the vehicle’s rightful owner.

This is not the first time Markov has been embroiled in controversy.

Last September, he garnered media attention after alleging that he had been defrauded of US$200,000 by two Zimbabwean businessmen, Barnabas Kavai and Ashley Makara.

Markov’s arrest raises questions about the activities of foreign nationals claiming investor status in Zimbabwe. Authorities are continuing investigations into his activities, with further charges potentially pending.

Efforts to trace the Jeep’s original owner and uncover the extent of Markov’s alleged criminal operations remain ongoing.