FIFTY-FOUR buses transporting smuggled goods worth over US$20 million have been intercepted since the beginning of March.
As a result of the smuggling, the country has been losing
millions of dollars in potential import revenue.
An official within the national security cluster said
between March 1 and April 28, they intercepted 54 buses carrying an assortment
of smuggled goods worth over $20 million.
“We have been intercepting some of the buses at security
checkpoints between Beitbridge and Harare and Bulawayo,” said the official.
“We have established that in most cases the smugglers are
using illegal crossing points along the Limpopo River to bring in commercial
goods which they then load in buses at Dulivhadzimu bus terminus for onward
transmission to various towns and cities nationwide”.
Government deployed the National Security Taskforce on
January 5 at the recommendation of the National Joint Operations Committee
(JOC), following numerous reports of smuggling and other criminal activities at
the country’s border with South Africa.
A survey by Chronicle revealed that most dealers are travel
to the border town of Beitbridge and illegally cross into South Africa through
various entry points, and then bring back hordes of goods for resale.
They then load in intercity buses at Dulivhadzimu bus
terminus, which is handling an average of 10 buses daily down from 30 due to
strict Covid-19 regulations being implemented by the Government.
Common goods that are being smuggled into the country
include building material, vehicles, fuel, livestock, flea market wares,
illicit medicines, groceries, fuel, tyres, genetically modified (GMOs)
vegetables and fruits, electrical gadgets, and vehicles among others.
Minerals, cigarettes and stolen livestock are also being
smuggled out of the country.
National police spokesperson Assistant Commissioner Paul
Nyathi said they had resorted to naming and shaming bus companies that are
being used to smuggle goods and transport contrabands.
He said they were also engaging the Ministry of Transport
and Infrastructure Development, to revoke or suspend operating licenses and
permits for those bus operators found on the wrong side of the law.
“The rate at which we are intercepting buses which are
being used to smuggle goods into the country or carry contrabands is alarming.
“Now we have resorted to naming and shaming those bus
companies involved in such criminal activities,” said Asst Comm Nyathi.
He said they had also established that the syndicates were
working with bus crews who in some instances pretend to be transporting
returnees from South Africa.
“Fortunately, these where criminals are being intercepted while or after smuggling goods of commercial nature into the country,” he added.
Asst Comm Nyathi said police will descend heavily on both
the smugglers and the bus crews conniving to break the law.
Zimra spokesperson Mr Francis Chimanda said between March
21 and March 29 four buses were intercepted between Harare and Beitbridge and were
referred for physical examination at the border post.
He said the authority collected additional import revenue
of $1,917,684.00 which included $958,842.00 duty payable and an equal amount in
fines.
Mr Chimanda said they had introduced the 100 percent
searches on all cargo mostly being following an upsurge in a trend of false
declarations by either the transporters or the importers. Herald
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