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Crime Reporter 

A 27-year-old woman has been arrested on allegations of trying to bribe police officers with R100 at a roadblock along the Masvingo-Beitbridge Road while another man has been nabbed for smuggling a Toyota Hilux double cab and a Toyota Hilux single cab vehicles in Plumtree, as police intensify their operation against border crimes and smuggling. 

On Sunday, police arrested 127 people countrywide under operation “No to Cross Border Crimes”, bringing the cumulative arrests to 154 686 since January 1, 2021.

The Beitbridge woman was a passenger in a Mercedes Benz Sprinter that was coming from the border town.

National police spokesperson Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi confirmed the arrest. 

“On May 22, 2022, police deployed on operation ‘No to Cross Border Crimes’ arrested Patience Tafireyi aged 27 for bribery at Chicago roadblock along Masvingo-Beitbridge Road. 

“The suspect aboard a Mercedes Benz Sprinter offered a R100 bribe to police officers at the roadblock,” he said.

Recently, police in Beitbridge arrested 12 bus conductors for allegedly trying to bribe officers at a roadblock in Bubi, after being found in possession of smuggled goods.

Their buses were intercepted along the Beitbridge-Masvingo laden with goods smuggled from South Africa.

The conductors were arrested by the National Security Taskforce attached to an operation code-named “No to cross border crimes”, while their buses were carrying goods believed to have been smuggled into the country.

The 12 bus conductors were Proceed Mugadza (34), Mahiya Darlington (45), Titos Nyagara (55), Anyway Chizombe (39), Edmore Mavhiza (50), Blessing Gune (32), Previous Nyangoro (45), Laston Katsande (41), Elvis Mashira (34), Kudakwashe Ndlovu (42), Peter Muronza (34) and Onias Mungwanda (37).

Some of the conductors who have since appeared in court are from bus companies which include Sliver King, MB Transport, Goodriders Bus Service, Four Lions, Munhenzva and Chitulimani Bus company.

Others were travelling in a Toyota Granvia and a Nissan Caravan.

The bus drivers have since been questioned by the police.

They were arrested for bribery at Bubi roadblock along Beitbridge-Masvingo Highway after they had offered to bribe the police officers with cash so that the buses could be allowed free passage without being searched. 

The total amount of cash offered as a bribe is R4 150 and US$23. 

Police in Beitbridge also arrested another conductor, Anyway Pepukai (31) for bribery.

The suspect who was a conductor of a Mercedes Benz Sprinter (AFG 9683) from SA instructed his driver to drive off at a police checkpoint before producing cash amounting to R250 which he handed over to a police officer in an attempt to bribe him and was nabbed.

The arrests come after last month, the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission has intercepted and impounded nine buses carrying smuggled goods worth thousands of US dollars during an ongoing anti-smuggling blitz.

This comes at a time the country is reportedly losing US$1 billion annually through smuggling.

Meanwhile, police in Chirundu recently arrested Edward Mandonga (31) for smuggling 11 bales of new clothes and men’s belts.

Police in Plumtree also arrested Obvious Sitshela Ngwenya (37) for smuggling a Toyota Hilux Double cab vehicle, registration number JS24WPGP and a Toyota Hilux Single Cab vehicle, registration number JL18DR, all valued at R380 000.

The suspect temporarily imported the vehicles through Plumtree Border Post and did not return the vehicles to South Africa after the Temporary Import Permits had expired.