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Thupeyo Muleya, Beitbridge Bureau

THE National Security Taskforce has intensified the crackdown on smuggling activities between Zimbabwe and South Africa and intercepted a total of 15 buses carrying suspected smuggled goods worth millions of dollars in import duty.

The buses were busted between Monday evening and yesterday morning at Dulivhadzimu bus terminus and on the highways from Beitbridge to Bulawayo and Harare and other urban centres.

National police spokesperson Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi said security forces are not relenting in their quest to curb the smuggling scourge.

He said the value of the goods intercepted in Beitbridge was yet to be ascertained.

“We will not hesitate to arrest anyone involved in crime, especially smuggling or corrupt activities,” he said.

“Our target are individuals, syndicates, security personnel, companies and transporters engaging in the illegal movement of goods across the borders”.

He said the police had noted an increase in inter-city and cross border buses being used by syndicates to transport smuggled goods.

He said such activities had an adverse effect on the collection of import duties by the Government.

“We strongly advise anyone wishing to import or export goods through our borders to do so within the confines of the existing Customs and Excise laws,” Asst Comm Nyathi said.

He said the national security high command was continuously reviewing checks and balances to ensure that all those linked to smuggling and corruption-related activities are accounted for.

On Saturday, 18 security officials were arrested for taking a R2 000 bribe from a cross border crew member in Beitbridge.

“The days of those playing hide and seek with the law are numbered,” said Asst Comm Nyathi.

It is understood the smugglers are shipping the goods through illegal crossing points along the Limpopo River, which they then load into buses heading to various towns and cities across the country.

Others are using buses carrying Zimbabwean migrants returning home by road through Beitbridge Border Post.

A passenger from one of the intercepted 15 buses, Ms Lizzy Chimunhu said it was very critical for those importing goods from across borders to always comply with customs laws to avoid inconvenience.

“This is an unnecessary inconvenience, imagine I paid duty for all my goods, but now I am being delayed because of the actions of other travellers,” she said.

In separate interviews, intercity bus drivers said it was hard for them to ask for customs or import documents from intercity travellers.

“This is very unfortunate for us considering that we have no authority to search goods or ask for declaration documents from travellers.

Our appeal is for security or customs officials to be thorough at the border or deploy at the loading bays to enforce compliance before passengers board buses,” said Mr Weston Mushonga.

Our news crew also established that the bulk of smuggled goods include electrical gadgets, groceries and other prohibited goods.

Zimbabwe beefed up security along its border with South Africa after it was discovered that general crime and smuggling was rife and the country was losing millions in unpaid import revenue.

The security patrols are being conducted by air, use of drones, the police and army horse-mounted units, and the canine sections. — @tupeyo