The Sunday News
Thupeyo Muleya, Beitbridge Bureau
AUTHORITIES at Beitbridge Border Post on Friday night intercepted a state-of-the-art compressor, beer, an assortment of groceries and hardware appliances worth thousands of dollars which were being smuggled to Bulawayo and Harare.
A First Class bus and South Africa-registered Iveco mini-bus were transporting the contraband and by end of day yesterday the police were yet to make any arrests.
The bus was intercepted at the green route search bay carrying an assortment of hardware goods destined for Harare.
These require permits prior to importation in line with the provisions of Statutory Instrument 64 of 2016.
It is reported that the driver of the Iveco that was heading to Bulawayo and a bogus clearing agent who was helping him to smuggle the loot disappeared soon after the interception.
The mini-bus was travelling from Johannesburg carrying a compressor that was concealed under alcohol and groceries.
It is understood that the C11-9 compressor is worth 11 000 pounds (US$13 640) on the market and attracts a VAT of 1 650 pounds (US$2 046) upon importation.
Matabeleland South police spokesman Inspector Philisani Ndebele could not be reached for comment yesterday.
Zimra’s board secretary and director of legal and corporate affairs, Ms Florence Jambwa was also not available for comment.
However, a member of the border Ferret team which comprises the police, Zimra and other security agents said the bus and the Iveco were busted during routine stop and search patrols.
“We responded to a tip-off and intercepted both the bus and the Iveco before they could leave the border.
“Searches were conducted leading to the discovery of the contrabands. We have intensified patrols with the view of curbing intrusive leakages of prohibited goods into the country,” said the official who preferred anonymity.
The official said they had adopted a zero tolerance to smuggling which was fast becoming the order of the day at the border post.
The smuggling of goods through the country’s borders heightened around July 2016, when the Government removed basic commodities including; food items, building material, furniture, toiletries and cooking oil among other things from the open general import license (OGIL).
Under the SI 64 new listed goods now require a permit prior to importation and travellers are allowed to bring selected goods once per calendar month.
In the last 14 days a total of seven vehicles with an assortment of various prohibited goods were intercepted at the border with goods destined for Harare and Bulawayo.
However, in most instances Zimra officers would have expressed satisfaction with the declarations made by the smugglers, raising suspicion that they could be involved.
