A 38-YEAR-OLD Zimbabwean woman’s bid for freedom has hit a
brick wall after she was denied bail in South Africa following her arrest for
allegedly smuggling drugs worth R2 million into the neighbouring country via
Beitbridge Border Post.
In addition, the case, which was initially being handled by
South Africa Police Services, has been taken over by the Directorate for
Priority Crime Investigations (Hawks) which targets organised crime and
economic crimes.
Hawks spokesperson for Limpopo Captain Matimba Maluleke
said Mavis Busisiwe Thundedzwa appeared before Musina Magistrate court on
Friday for formal bail application.
“The suspect was denied bail and remanded in custody to 8
July for trial,” he said. According to the police, the suspect was arrested during
routine border patrols.
It is alleged that on May 11, South African police were
performing their normal duties at the Beitbridge Port of Entry under the Musina
policing area when they searched Thundedzwa’s luggage.
During the search, police found 15 x Crystal meth drugs
with an estimated street value of over R2 million.
Police investigations revealed that Thundedzwa was
travelling from Harare in Zimbabwe to South Africa.
The smuggling of drugs and explosives to South Africa has
been on the rise. Over 40 people were arrested between 2015 and 2017 while
smuggling similar contrabands between the two countries.
In 2015 two women from Bulawayo aged 41 and 23 were fined
R20 000 each for smuggling 180 detonators into the neighbouring country.
Another group of 14 men was intercepted in July 2014 at an
illegal entry point along the Limpopo River carrying a contraband of detonators
worth R350 000 and were fined R30 000 each. Chronicle
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