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Chido Nyamuyaruka-Herald Correspondent 

Another Indian appeared in court yesterday following his arrest at Robert Gabriel Mugabe International Airport for being in possession of 7,3kgs of heroin.

Ronald Florentius Paes appeared before Harare magistrate Mr Taurai Manwere and was remanded in custody to November 2 for bail application. 

Allegations are that on October 26, detectives from CID Drugs and Narcotics Harare, received information from a reliable source that Florentius had heroin in his luggage which he intended to smuggle to India.

Pursuant to the tip-off, detectives waylaid Florentius at the RG Mugabe International Airport and intercepted him as he checked in. 

The detectives approached him and requested to have his bag scanned. That is when it was detected that Florentius’ travelling bag had suspicious contents. 

It is alleged that the bag was opened in his presence, leading to the recovery and seizure of two transparent packets containing prepared opium, also known as heroin, which was precisely stuffed with glue in the lining of the travelling bag on the bottom side of the bag. 

It is the State’s case that Florentius was arrested and it was established that he had an Indian passport, number R6060694 and boarding passes to Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, on his way to India.

The court heard that a field test was carried out on the contraband in Florentius’ presence and it tested positive for opium or heroin. 

The drug was weighed in his presence and recorded 7,3kg, with an estimated street value of $5 840 000.

Mr Lancelot Mutsokoti prosecuted.

Earlier this week, Nabin Chandra was also arrested after he was caught with 7,7kg of heroin at the RG Mugabe International Airport.

He has since appeared in court on charges of unlawfully dealing in dangerous drugs.

Chandra was arrested by detectives from CID Drugs and Narcotics after an Aviation Security (AVSEC) officer manning the screening point told them that there was a checked-in navy blue bag with suspicious contents.