The Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU) is plotting a crackdown against individuals and companies allegedly involved in exchange rate manipulation.
When the Zimbabwe Gold (ZiG) currency debuted two weeks ago, the rate was ZiG13.56 per US$1, but illegal money changers are now trading at ZiG20: US$1.
FIU director Oliver Chiperesa told <a href="https://businesstimes.co.zw/fiu-plots-massive-crackdown/">Business Times</a> this week that the unit has identified wholesalers and manufacturers involved in exchange rate manipulation. He said:
<blockquote>
For our part as FIU, we have identified traders, especially wholesalers and manufacturers who are either not accepting ZiG or are putting an unjustified premium on the rate, and we are taking stern action on those.
We have given them a warning to comply by the end of the day today (Wednesday) after which we will be freezing their accounts and fining them.
Some are claiming they are still configuring their systems so are not yet accepting ZiG. We have told them that if it’s taking them that long to configure, they should stop trading until they are in a position to accept both currencies.
</blockquote>
Chiperesa said FIU is monitoring bank account activities to look for any infractions. He said:
<blockquote>
If we catch them, we will permanently freeze the illegal forex dealers’ accounts. We acknowledge that the parallel market is still there but generally, it is within the acceptable range of probably 10% of the official rate and that’s normal.
Whilst we don’t tolerate such issues, it’s still normal in an economy. But when we see some serious distortions we step in to investigate and take steps.
We are already in the streets before the money changers are too many in the streets, we don’t want to wait for the exchange rate to go beserk.
Apart from clearing them from the street, we are monitoring bank transactions so that we may identify red flags with some of the transactions occurring.
If we see transactions undertaken repeatedly in the same shop or outlet, we will permanently freeze those bank accounts.
We democratically allow people to open accounts with as many banks as one can but those with more than three accounts will certainly come under scrutiny.
When you see someone with four accounts there is something amiss, we will identify those as well. The dealers try to transact on many platforms to avoid being noticed but we are certainly now on them again on too many accounts.
</blockquote>
Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) spokesman Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi last week said they were waiting for the go-ahead to launch the blitz on illegal money changers. He said:
<blockquote>
We are working together with the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe to end this practice and the law will take its course without fear or favour.
</blockquote>
More: <a href="https://www.pindula.co.zw/">Pindula News</a>

Pindula News

Financial Intelligence Unit Plots Crackdown On Money Changers

Some illegal money changers are now duping members of the public of their hard-earned money as their customer base dwindles due to the firming of the street rate as well as the official rate.
A report by <a href="https://www.manicapost.co.zw/forex-dealers-get-desperate/">The Manica Post</a> says some victims have lost their entire salaries or bank loans in botched transactions involving illegal foreign currency dealers.
The deceitful forex dealers reportedly mainly target people coming from outlying areas to withdraw their monthly salaries in Mutare, Nyanga, Rusape and Chipinge urban areas.
One of the victims of the forex dealers who requested anonymity told <a href="https://www.manicapost.co.zw/forex-dealers-get-desperate/">The Manica Post</a> that he lost a ZWL$2 million bank loan to a female dealer at Mudzviti Bus Terminus.
The victim said the woman in question insisted that the money transferred had not reached her account, hence she could not give him any US dollars. He said:
<blockquote>
This happened on July 20 when I had gone to change my ZWL2 million bank loan into USD. I approached this other lady at Mudzviti Bus Terminus who said she could get me some foreign currency.
She was in possession of a POS machine and we agreed on the rate of the transfer.
After l entered my PIN, she told me that the money had not reached her account. She said it could be hanging, hence she could only give me the USD after the money reflects in her account. Surprisingly, the money in question had already been deducted from my account.
After a heated argument over the issue, she told me to go to my bank and reverse the transaction. When l visited my bank, I was told to bring a letter from the recipient confirming that l should reverse the transaction.
When I went back to Mudzviti Bus Terminus, the lady was nowhere to be found. Up to now, I am still looking for her.
</blockquote>
Desire Dube of Chipinge told the publication that he fell victim to a forex dealer early this year. He said:
<blockquote>
I was once a victim early this year when I went to Chipinge town to collect my salary. I was told to do a Zipit transaction. I did. After a few minutes, the dealer told me that he had not received the money.
I argued with him for almost an hour, and we later agreed that I should come back after an hour. When I came back, he insisted that he had not received anything.
We spent almost three hours arguing over the issue, and he only gave me part of what I was entitled to and asked me to come back the following day since he was insisting that it was not his problem. That was the last time I saw him.
</blockquote>
Tedious Chinyowa, a well-known socialite in Nyamhuka, Nyanga, said he has come across several people who have been duped by forex dealers.
Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) spokesperson in Manicaland Province, Inspector Nobert Muzondo, said they are yet to receive reports from victims of such transactions, but warned the public not to engage in illegal forex deals. He said:
<blockquote>
It seems people do not approach the police after falling victim. We urge members of the public who would have fallen victim to approach the police and file reports.
Street money changing is outlawed in Zimbabwe. That’s why the forex dealers always play hide and seek with law enforcement agents.
We will get to the bottom of this issue. We urge members of the public to give us information whenever such things happen so that we bring the perpetrators to book.
</blockquote>
More: <a href="https://www.pindula.co.zw/">Pindula News</a>

Man Loses ZWL$2 Million Loan To Money Changer

Munir Kazi, an Indian businessman, was Tuesday found not guilty of defrauding some forex dealers of US$765 000. 
Harare Magistrate Vongai Muchuchuti-Guwuriro found Kazi and his co-accused Andre Hoffman not guilty citing the State’s failure to present evidence against the duo.
She also said the forex dealers had approached the courts at the back of breaching the law, <a href="https://www.newzimbabwe.com/court-acquits-indian-business-mogul/">NewZimbabwe</a> reported. Foreign currency trading is illegal in Zimbabwe.
She said the foreign currency deal; if ever it existed, was illegitimate.
The magistrate said none of the forex dealers confirmed giving the money to the Indian businessman (Kazi) while adding that the State submitted grossly unreliable and contradictory evidence from the traders.
What happened: The court heard that, on October 28, 2021, Kazi and Hoffman connived with one Shingirai Muringi to fleece the forex dealers.
Muringi is said to have approached Charles Nyamunda Jounet, a forex dealer and misrepresented that they could provide large sums of money in local currency in exchange for United States dollars.
Muringi allegedly said they wanted to buy US$765 000 in exchange for ZW$17 212 500.
Jounet allegedly said he did not have enough US dollars and was advised by Muringi to source more from other foreign currency dealers.
The forex dealers allegedly contributed as follows:
<blockquote>
1). Jounet – US$28 000, 
2). Codwell Muhoni – US$100 000, 
3). Wisdom Hodzi – US$51 000, 
4). Rodney Makarutsa – US$35 000, 
5). Benard Nyangoni US$50 000, 
6). Nyevero Chibisa US$87 000, 
7). Tinashe Kadzunge – US$65 000 and 
8). Henry Abraham – US$349 000.
</blockquote>
Hoffman allegedly told them that his co-accused, Kazi, would transfer the money into their bank accounts, which was never done, forcing them to report the matter to the police.
Kazi last year applied to have his matter separated from Muringi, who is yet to appear in court to answer charges on the fraud case.
Magistrate Muchuchuti said no one would genuinely give away such large sums of money without signing any document, more so, to someone they met on the same day and did not have a close relationship with.
<h2><a href="https://zero.pindula.co.zw/">More Pindula News</a></h2>

Indian Businessman Found Not Guilty Of Defrauding Forex Dealers US$765 000

The Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe (RBZ) has warned alleged currency speculators that their days are numbered.
The central bank accuses currency speculators of fuelling currency volatilities resulting in price instability.
According to Business Times, the Zimbabwe dollar was last week trading at ZWL$950: US$1 on the parallel market from about ZWL$800: US$1 two weeks ago.
On the formal market, last week the Zimbabwe dollar was trading at ZWL$671.44: US$1 at the auction system, down from ZWL$654.86: US$1 two weeks ago.
Addressing stakeholders in Bulawayo last week, the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe (RBZ)’s principal economist, Stephen Moyo said:
<blockquote>
We are working with other arms of government like the Financial Intelligence Unit to make sure that behaviour is minimised because those speculators contribute to a lot of speculation that leads to the destabilisation of the currency.
So to all those quick rich speculators, their days are numbered and the long arm of the law will deal with them. Speculation is going to be minimal.
</blockquote>
Business had been pursuing forward pricing models, which have an adverse impact on inflation and exchange rate expectations.
Moreover, informal businesses are shunning the local currency and are now virtually trading all products in United States dollars. | <a href="https://businesstimes.co.zw/rbz-warns-forex-dealers/">Business Times</a>

RBZ Warns "Currency Speculators"

Vendors selling foodstuffs, mainly drinks, fruits and snacks at most toll gates across the country are now engaged in illegal forex deals thereby depriving the Zimbabwe National Road Administration (ZINARA) of the much-needed foreign currency.
The vendors are reportedly buying foreign currency at black market rates so motorists can use Zimbabwe dollars to pay tollgate fees at official rates.
The majority of motorists will be more than willing to deal with the forex dealers as they will be paying less in local currency than in USD since there is a huge discrepancy between the official rate used by ZINARA and the parallel market rate used by vendors.
ZINARA charges US$2 for light vehicles or ZWL$164 in local currency. Vendors would offer motorists ZWL$164 for just US$1 making it a no-brainer for the latter to take the offer.
As a result, ZINARA is being deprived of thousands of US dollars in potential revenue as the money is being mopped up at tollgates by the vendors as motorists choose to convert their USD to local currency which they then use to pay toll fees.
National police spokesperson Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi said vending and money changing at tollgates is against the law and those engaging in such activities will be arrested. He said:
<blockquote>
As the police and ZINARA, we have taken a common position that vending and foreign currency dealings at tollgates are illegal.
The police will take all the necessary measures to ensure the illegal vendors are removed from tollgates.
Those who resist will be arrested. We also urged ZINARA officials who are also at toll gates to conscientise the people that vending and money changing are illegal.
</blockquote>
Asst Comm Nyathi also warned police officers who dabble in such activities and join money-changers that the long arm of the law will catch up with them.
<h4>More: <a href="https://www.herald.co.zw/illegal-money-changers-invade-tollgates/">The Herald</a></h4>

Illegal Forex Dealers, Vendors Flood Tollgates

Police have arrested 700 suspected illegal forex dealers and vendors in Bulawayo in a four-day operation that was premised at restoring order in the second-largest city in Zimbabwe.
The blitz started on Tuesday last week and is reportedly ongoing. The development was confirmed by Bulawayo police spokesperson Inspector Abednico Ncube in an interview with The Chronicle on Sunday.
Ncube said that the operation was likely to see more forex dealers, known as osiphatheleni, arrested as more police officers were being deployed. He said:
<blockquote>By Friday we netted over 700 vendors and osiphatheleni in the CBD. The operation is an ongoing deployment to ensure sanity in town. More than 200 police officers flooded Tredgold area Chicken Inn, Herbert Chitepo and 4th Avenue and many other areas targeting osiphatheleni, vendors and illegal fuel dealers.</blockquote>
He added that all those arrested were taken to Bulawayo Central Police Station where more than 500 paid fines of up to ZW$500.
Meanwhile, some analysts believe that arresting traders is tantamount to addressing symptoms of an issue adding that as long as foreign currency is scarce, forex dealers will always be there while vending will linger for as long as the local industry is not revived.
More: <a href="https://www.chronicle.co.zw/police-arrest-700-illegal-forex-dealers/">The Chronicle</a>

Police Arrest 700 Suspected Illegal Forex Dealers And Vendors

The government has seemingly lost the battle against illegal moneychangers who are back on the streets at their usual trading points.
In Harare’s Central Business District, moneychangers are littered at Eastgate Shopping Mall, Copacabana and Fourth Street Bus Termini.
Illegal forex dealers who spoke to the Daily News said:
<blockquote>We have no option, we have nowhere to go, our business is doing well we can’t complain. The problem we are now facing is that everyone is now coming into the streets to join us as money changers.
… The police come to us every day but this is Zimbabwe we know what to do so they cannot arrest us. We are desperate and we are ready for any consequences.
… The government should avail foreign currency in banks if it wants the suffering members of the public to stop trading with illegal money changers.</blockquote>
This comes after the government came with stringent measures against the illegal forex dealers towards the end of 2018. The government crafted a law prescribing a 10-year custodial sentence for the moneychangers.
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<h4><a href="https://news.pindula.co.zw/2018/10/21/mnangagwa-to-invoke-presidential-powers-to-introduce-tough-measures-to-deal-with-foreign-currency-dealers/">Mnangagwa To Invoke Presidential Powers To Introduce “Tough” Measures To Deal With Foreign Currency Dealers</a></h4>
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<h4>More: <a href="https://www.dailynews.co.zw/articles/2019/02/19/govt-losing-war-on-money-changers">Daily News</a></h4>

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