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Government Crackdown On Smuggling Leaves Hundreds Stranded In Beitbridge

3 months agoFri, 06 Dec 2024 05:13:35 GMT
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Government Crackdown On Smuggling Leaves Hundreds Stranded In Beitbridge

Hundreds of travellers, mainly cross-border traders and shoppers, were reportedly stranded in Beitbridge after bus operators withdrew services to avoid having their buses impounded in a government operation targeting smuggled goods.

NewsDay reported that several buses have been seized, and operators face fines of up to US$60,000 for transporting suspected contraband. The operation is part of efforts to clamp down on smuggling.

Between 120 (off-peak) and 220 (peak), buses typically pass through Beitbridge daily, with the number of travellers increasing during the festive season.

Some buses were offloading passengers and stopping operations after their vehicles were targeted in the crackdown.

Finance Minister Mthuli Ncube recently announced new measures to combat smuggling, empowering the Zimbabwe Revenue Authority (ZIMRA) to seize goods without proof of customs duty payment.

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This includes raiding tuckshops and other outlets selling smuggled goods.

Following the announcement, security forces set up roadblocks and checkpoints around the border town to stop vehicles carrying goods without proper documentation, redirecting them to customs yards.

The crackdown extends beyond Beitbridge, with reports of buses and trucks being detained in various towns, including Masvingo, Harare, Chinhoyi, Bulawayo, and Mutare, as part of the intensified enforcement of the new directive.

A woman caught up in the swoop told NewsDay in an interview on Thursday that their bus was ordered to return to Beitbridge. She said:

We were ordered to return to the border post by a team which stopped us about 30km out of Beitbridge. We were escorted to the border post, where thorough searches were conducted on buses.

Several buses were stuck at Beitbridge, with goods being offloaded into Customs warehouses as part of the ongoing crackdown on smuggling.

A wide range of goods are being targeted, including essentials like rice, sugar, dairy products, clothing, tyres, electrical appliances, alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages, cement, motor spare parts, and detergents.

ZIMRA at Beitbridge has hired dozens of casual workers to help offload and pack seized goods from travellers.

At the Dulivhadzimo bus terminus, many buses offloaded passengers and luggage, with some buses not leaving due to the smuggling crackdown.

The buses typically transport both passengers and contraband, much of which is smuggled across the Limpopo River.

According to a Beitbridge Municipal police officer at the terminus, not a single bus departed from Beitbridge on Wednesday, a highly unusual situation for the busy border post.

More: Pindula News

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17 Comments

Anonymous · 3 months ago
Batai vanhu varikuita huori,hatidi huori,huori hukasiiwa hunoita se cancer,batai vanhu.
Maringambire · 3 months ago
For now its a good move by the gorvenment, there is too much corruption at boarder posts, people should pay duty not to pay for bribes.
Ctrl Alt Del · 3 months ago
this is like trying to stop diarrhea by stitching the butthole, it wont work the gvt should instead try to fix zvirikukonzeresa the smuggling in the first place
xxc · 3 months ago
our gvt is being runned by **** brain no one wants bea vendor but situation ,hw can pple servive
justice McMillan · 3 months ago
This is a piece meal kind of a legislative instrument. Look there is no fairness at all. Who will take and consume the confiscated food and acquire the other sundries. This has opened corruption floodgates on the part of the enforcement personnel. It's briberies throughout to reach your home... May God have mercy for "opharned" Zimbabweans
Mp · 3 months ago
no that's not muggling it's importing
👀👀 · 3 months ago
if you want to shop or smuggle for xmas you do it early to avoid trouble,& duty rinenge riri nani,5 zvichienda mberi unoitwa tsomu tsomu,vakada munovhuriswa everything zvinhu zvichiverengwa worohwa mari
ZimSketch · 3 months ago
Christmas yadirwa jecha...
GIANT · 3 months ago
Regai vaite basa ravo zvakatokosha izvozvo for this peak period since of the Travellers take an advantage to smuggle armed weapons like short guns,AK 37 rifles, knives drugs etc that may harm lives of the people so zvitori right zviri kuitwa despite the delays of arrivals.Safety first
Non Aligned Movement 🇿🇼 · 3 months ago
Kkkk AK 37......
Anonymous · 3 months ago
😆😆😆
WORSE · 3 months ago
Munenge muchiregererwa, motaurisa muchizviita makangwara.Sungwai chose, police enforce the law, people say you are useless.Show them
👀👀 · 3 months ago
l smuggled a lot of beer varimo muroad macho,ndakazvimiririra l will not stop smuggling coz ndoopane chimwe chingwa changu,now l wanna go and smuggle hembe dzevana dzekutengesa for Xmas,this is only for the news mumwe wangu,bhazi renyu rikamiswa mutononzi taurai kt munei motaura ,moita chivanhu zvopera zvakadaro,
,,,, dott · 3 months ago
Zvino wanhu vofamba sei
Diva · 3 months ago
unongofambazve kana uine zviripamutemo mukanzi gurai mochema kut huori hwashata mukaitirwa zviripamutemo mochema kut tofambasei hatichatomboziwe zvirinormal muzim macho

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