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Thupeyo Muleya, Beitbridge Bureau

South African and Zimbabwean security agents deployed to combat crime along the Limpopo River have destroyed a third makeshift footbridge that had been constructed some 600 metres east of the official border post.

Two makeshift bridges were destroyed in the last six months near the same area.

The latest bridge was built overnight on Monday using logs , electricity poles and sacks filled with sand.

Beitbridge head of police, Chief Superintendent Tichaona Nyongo confirmed the development on Wednesday.

He said the bridge was constructed overnight since they don’t deploy personnel in the area which is infested with hippopotamus and other dangerous wild animals.

“These people are determined considering that area is dangerous for humans during the nights. However, we are not relenting, we are working together with the South Africans so that we suffocate the criminals on both sides of the border,” said Chief Supt Nyongo.

He said in some instances the criminals were using canoes and pressure boats to smuggle goods and people across the border.

The senior police officer said between July 6 and Tuesday they had recovered 11 pressure boats at several illegal crossing points along the border with South Africa.

Within the same period, he said the security had arrested over 5 000 people on cross border related crimes and seized contrabands worth millions of dollars in import duty.

“We will leave no stone unturned as we continue fighting crime. It is advisable for people to use formal crossing points to travel and export/import goods to different countries,” said Chief Supt Nyongo.

-@tupeyo