A Zimbabwean woman was on Tuesday caught in possession of approximately 2kg cocaine at Dedza Border Post as she attempted to get it across in a South Africa-bound bus, Police have confirmed.

Dedza Police Spokesperson, Sergeant. Edward Kabango, identified the suspect as Similo Ndlovu, aged 36, and that she was rounded up during routine search at the border.

“She had a baggage sealed with tape all round and this raised suspicion in our officer on duty and after removing the tape to conduct a thorough search, the cocaine was found packed and neatly sealed in a Ceres Juice packet,” explained Kabango.

He said upon interrogation, Ndlovu claimed that she had just been given the baggage by a friend who asked her to pass it on to another person in South Africa and that she (Ndlovu) did not know the contents of the parcel.

However, according to Kabango, the suspected drug-smuggler’s passport indicated that she had been to India and Bangladesh within the recent two weeks.

She is expected to appear before court soon to answer charges of being in possession of illicit drugs contrary to the laws of the land.

Ndlovu’s arrest comes a week after Namibian Police Inspector General, and Chair of the Southern Africa Police Chiefs Organisation (SAPCO), Lt-Gen. Sebastian Ndeitunga, who was in the country recently, challenged police in SADC to unite in stamping out drug smuggling in the region.

Touring Kanengo Model Police Station in Lilongwe on July 15 2014, Ndeitunga emphasized on the need to “catch the big bosses in the supplying chain of drugs” and protect the region’s citizens from being victims of drug abuse.

The SAPCO Chair said: “Drugs come from as far as San Paolo, and Columbia, among other places and the smugglers know exactly who to contact in our countries, and where to make the contact. We need to cut the chain by identifying the key suppliers and distributors in our respective countries.”

“My message to all police officers in uniform in SADC is that we are talking about organised crime here and reality demands that we should commit ourselves to working with one voice to curb it in the region.

He further urged national and police intelligence in the region to work together and share trends in order to combat organised crime in the region, and that all law enforcers in the region should be on alert to stamp out the trend.

 

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