Security agents implementing an operation dubbed “No to Cross border Crimes” Thursday intercepted copper cables worth around US$100 000 that were being smuggled to South Africa.
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 driver of the truck that was carrying the cables fled upon sensing that he had been detected by intelligence officials at the Beitbridge Border Post.
Team leader, Chief Superintendent Bekezela Ndlovu said intensive investigations into the matter were underway. She told Chronicle:
We are yet to make any arrests and our intelligence officers are firm on the ground following up on the case.
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.
Ndlovu said following a 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).
Ndlovu said they had deployed enough manpower and discovered the methods some criminals are using to smuggle goods in and out of the country.
She said police had also busted a number of warehouses around Beitbridge town which were being used to store smuggled goods from South Africa.