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Thupeyo Muleya Beitbridge Bureau

SECURITY agents deployed to the border with South Africa have intercepted a contraband of suspected stolen copper cables worth nearly US$100 000 that were being smuggled into the neighbouring country via the Beitbridge Border Post.

The Zimbabwe Electricity Transmission and Distribution Company (ZETDC) and the National Railways of Zimbabwe (NRZ) have positively identified part of the recovered cables as theirs.

The police are yet to make arrests after the truck driver fled on Thursday upon sensing that he had been detected by intelligence officials.

The contraband was intercepted by a team of security agents implementing the operation “No to Cross border Crimes.”

Team leader, Chief Superintendent Bekezela Ndlovu said intensive investigations into the matter were underway.

“We are yet to make any arrests and our intelligence officers are firm on the ground following up on the case,” she said.

“Initial indications are that our officers reacted to a tip off and swooped on a South African bound commercial truck at the border.

“Unfortunately, the truck driver escaped before they could get to him and we have leads and are looking for him”.

Chief Supt Ndlovu said following physical examination it was discovered that the truck was laden with nearly 5 tonnes of copper cables with a street value of US$97 400.

She said the copper cables, copper scrap, used cans consignment, the horse and trailer had been seized and handed over to the Zimbabwe Revenue Authority (Zimra).

The senior cop said they were not relenting on their quest to restore sanity along the border line.

“We have deployed enough manpower and discovered the methods some criminals are using to smuggle goods in and out of the country. So, we are not going to give them any breathing space”, said Chief Supt Ndlovu.

She said police had also busted a number of warehouses around Beitbridge town which were being used to store smuggled goods from South Africa.