Bid to smuggle 2500 kgs of mbanje backfires at border

As of yesterday, the suspects were still assisting police with investigations.

They will appear in court soon. Police spokesperson Senior Assistant Commissioner Charity Charamba confirmed the arrests yesterday.

Bid to smuggle 2500 kgs of mbanje backfires at border

“On July 31, 2016, police at Nyamapanda Border Post received information pertaining to drug traffickers involving a freightliner truck. When the truck arrived at the border, the driver produced a manifesto cargo of purported 30 tonnes of wheat bran,” she said.

Snr Asst Comm Charamba said police and Zimbabwe Revenue Authority officials searched the truck and recovered 47 x 50kg bags (2 350kg) of mbanje stashed among bags of wheat bran.

They arrested the driver who implicated the other three suspects who had crossed the border through an illegal entry point.

“The Zimbabwe Republic Police would like to warn all those involved in illegal possession of drugs that the law will take its course. Transporters should desist from assisting individuals involved in trafficking drugs,” said Snr Asst Comm Charamba.

File Picture: Southerton Police Station details display part of the 41 bags of mbanje found on a truck in Harare in January 2012

In May, unknown criminals dumped 550kg of mbanje worth thousands of dollars at Granville Cemetery, believed to have been smuggled into the country. In January 2013, police in Harare intercepted a Malawi-registered truck carrying about 3 700kg.