Beitbridge bound Inter-Africa bus busted transporting a contraband of drugs
A female senior citizen from Glen-View among the suspected drug smugglers
Masvingo-THE Zimbabwe Republic Police has last week intercepted a Beitbridge-bound Inter – Africa bus and impounded 62 kg of mbanje, Express Mail Zim can report.
This led to the arrest of two members of the bus crew and two passengers who allegedly worked in a well orchestrated syndicate resulting in a tip off.
Police allegedly searched the bus and recovered six bags containing 28 rolled packets of dagga that were hidden in the chassis.
According to the police, the driver was instructed to drive to Masvingo police station where further searches led to the recovery of a black satchel from a female passenger identified as Paulina Mudakuvaka (36) of Ruwa that contained several packets of mbanje.
During the search, police four rolls of dagga from a black plastic bag belonging to another female passenger, Alice Mutanda (68) of Glen View were also discovered.
Police also arrested the bus conductor, Allen Mberikunashe (25) of Victoria Ranch suburb in Masvingo, in connection with the mbanje haul.
Inter-Africa is owned by Dr Leonard Mukumba, a church leader at Mwazha Apostolic sect.
National Police spokesperson Commisioner Paul Nyathi said the prevalence of drug smuggling has prompted the launch of an operation code named “No to Cross Border Crimes”.
“On September 27, 2024, members of the police deployed on operation, ‘No to Cross Border Crimes,’ in Beitbridge acted on received information and arrested Melusi Ngwenya aged 26 at Dulibadzimu Bus terminus for illegal possession of 16 kilogrammes of mbanje.
“The mbanje was stashed under packets of chicken cuts inside a cardboard box,” he said in a statement.
Meanwhile, on September 29, 2024 at around 0315 hours, police in Featherstone intercepted a Nissan Note vehicle, registration number AGQ 2446, at a security checkpoint at the 103-kilometre peg along Harare-Masvingo Road and arrested the driver, Tinashe Muronzi (37) and passenger, Anacleter Sibanda (33) for unlawful possession of six plastic bags of mbanje.
