Indian suspected drug dealer nabbed with ZWL 5 million worth of heroine

By Adeline Mapfumo

Harare- LUCK ran of a suspected drug dealer when he was intercepted Wednesday by vigilant law enforcement agents at the Robert Mugabe International Airport as he attempted to smuggle drugs worth ZWL5 million, Express Mail Zim can report.

The 66-year old was identified as Ronald Florentious Paes and he was found in possession of heroin with a street value of ZWL 5 million.

The suspected drug dealer is expected to appear in court Friday before Magistrate Taurai Manwere answering to charges of smuggling and dealing in dangerous drugs.

Circumstances are that on October 26, detectives from the CID Drugs and Narcotics acted on a tip off and waylaid him at the terminal.

They trailed Paes from the departures’ gate and he was carrying a black suitcase, a red travelling bag and a satchel as he went through all the check in formalities with no trouble.

Unaware of the trail, he is said to have confidently handed over his red travelling bag for loading .

It is in this process, that the detectives pounced on him and the bag was scanned by Aviation security and suspicious contents were detected.

The red traveling bag was opened in the presence of its owner, leading to the recovery and seizure of two transparent packets containing prepared opium infamously known as heroin, which was precisely stuffed with glue in the lining of the travelling bag at the bottom.

The drug was weighed and tested in the presence of the defendant and it weighed 7,3 kilograms with an estimated street value of ZWL$5 840 000, and it tested positive for opium or heroin.

Paes was in possession of an Indian passport and had boarding passes to Addis Ababa, Ethiopia enroute to India on an Ethiopian airline bird.