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Thupeyo Muleya, Beitbridge Bureau
THE trial of two men accused of conniving to smuggle into Zimbabwe from South Africa, a consignment of abalone shellfish worth R8,4 million that was set for onward smuggling to Zambia has been set for July 13 at the Beitbridge Magistrates Court.

Frank Mavakise of Beitbridge and Young Rock Kasase a Congolese had allegedly hidden the contraband under a load of noodles that had been declared by the importer on June 2.

They were not asked to plead to charges of smuggling when they appeared before Beitbridge resident magistrate Mr Takudzwa Gwazemba on Tuesday.

They were each remanded to the trial date on $20 000 bail.

Mavakise and Kasase were busted by the Beitbridge Border Post Transnational Organised Crime Intelligence Unit following a tip-off.

Prosecuting, Mr Ronald Mugwagwa said, the duo connived to smuggle a consignment of abalone from South Africa into Zimbabwe pending further smuggling into Zimbabwe.

He said they declared that the truck was in transit to Zambia with a load of noodles.

The State said the goods were cleared by a Mutoko based clearing company and that the duo ran out of luck when they were intercepted before leaving the border.

Border security officials acting on a tip-off alerted the Zimbabwe Revenue Authority officials who conducted a physical examination of the truck.

Several boxes of abalone shellfish worth R8 357 994 were found hidden under boxes of noodles and the two men were arrested.

The trading of Abalone shellfish, which is regarded as an endangered species, is prohibited in most Sadc countries.

The shellfish is a unique type of snail classified under the gastropod phylum-Mollusca and is often referred to as the sea ear because of its flattened shape.

This type of seafood is considered a delicacy in Asia.

Recently a Zimbabwean and a Chinese were arrested by South Africa’s organized crime police as they were illegally transporting dried abalone shellfish worth R10 million from Cape Town to a yet to be known destination.

Authorities in the neighbouring country are still investigating the matter. -@tupeyo