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Thupeyo Muleya, Beitbridge Bureau, [email protected]

SECURITY agents deployed along the Zimbabwe-South Africa border have intercepted a Toyota Fortuner which was being smuggled into the country through an undesignated crossing point along the Limpopo River.

Two suspects, Nigel Mashanda of Beitbridge and Petros Chawasarira of Mufakose in Harare were arrested in Beitbridge on Monday soon after illegally entering into the country through an illegal crossing point area near Mawale village.

It is reported that the owner of the vehicle is a Zimbabwean who is based in the United States of America.

The vehicle with registration number JZX 013 NW was bought in Johannesburg, South Africa before it was smuggled to Zimbabwe.

Officer commanding police in Beitbridge district, Chief Superintendent Tichaona Nyongo confirmed the arrest yesterday.

“The matter is still under investigation and the suspects will soon appear in court. I cannot give you any further details at this stage,” he said.

Sources said the vehicle was brought from Johannesburg by two South Africans who then handed it over to Mashanda and Chawasarira at the Limpopo River.

“Our investigations reveal that they used Gate 2, Panda mine, an illegal crossing point along the Limpopo River to bring in the car which was being driven by Mashanda of Baobab street in Beitbridge town. During initial interrogations, he indicated that the vehicle belonged to one Tatenda Ashley Mikanzo based in the USA,” said the source.

Police got a tip off and they carried out surveillance around the illegal crossing point leading to the arrest of the suspects. The vehicle was seized and taken to Beitbridge Police Station pending investigations.

“We conducted interviews and Mashanda alleged that he had travelled to South Africa with Chawasarira to buy the vehicle for R250 000. The car driven by two South African men up to the Limpopo River before the two suspects drove across the river,” said the source.

The smuggling of vehicles has become rampant. Several Zimbabweans and other nationals have been arrested for trying to smuggle cars stolen in South Africa through the Beitbridge Border Post into Zambia, Malawi, Mozambique and other countries.