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Court Reporter

A BRAZILIAN remanded in custody yesterday to April 21 after appearing in court for allegedly smuggling into Zimbabwe 4,3kg of cocaine worth over $36 million, is suspected to be a member of a drug syndicate with links around the world, a court heard.

Police have since started investigations to flush out a syndicate using courier Guilherme Sodre Alvenaz da Silveria (22) of Sao Paulo.

Da Silveria is suspected to belong to a syndicate involved in international drug trafficking.

Da Silveria was arrested at the Robert Gabriel Mugabe International Airport on Monday and yesterday appeared at the Harare Magistrates Court charged with dealing in dangerous drugs.

He was represented by lawyer Mr Knowledge Maeresera, and was not asked to plead to the charges when he appeared before magistrate Mr Dennis Mangosi, who remanded him in custody to April 21.

Mr Lancelot Mutsokoti alleged that on Monday detectives received information that Da Silveria was travelling from Brazil aboard Ethiopian Airways and was expected to land at the airport at around 1.30pm carrying a substance believed to be cocaine.

Da Silveria was then intercepted at the airport and was searched with the cocaine wrapped in a foil allegedly stashed in the lining of his jacket.

The cocaine weighed 4,3kg with an estimated street value of $36 120 000.