A soldier and four other people have been arrested in Penhalonga after being found in possession of 326 bales of second hand clothes.They have appeared at the Mutare Magistrates Court for their initial remand. A provincial anti-smuggling operation code-named "Tranquility" has started to pay dividends following the arrest of the five.
Staff Sergeant Cloud Charasika based at 3.1 Infantry Battalion, who was the base commander deployed to counter anti-smuggling, Philip Chiwanza, Titus Chikwenda, Ndingaiteyi Mutowo and Bernard Tafundikira were arrested during the anti-smuggling campaign.
The five, who contravened Section 174 of the Customs and Excise Act chapter 23:2, appeared before Magistrate Poterai Gwezhira who remanded them in custody to the 29th of this month.
Magistrate Gwezhira will, however, deliver bail application ruling for Charasika.
The state which was represented by Brian Goto alleges that on the 14th of January police received information to the effect that some smugglers were intending to smuggle second hand goods from Mozambique into Zimbabwe through an illegal entry point in Penhalonga.
The police set an ambush at Monarch and during the night two trucks and an escorting vehicle were intercepted leading to the arrest of five accused persons.
Mutowo was arrested together with Tafundikira and Charasika who was clad in a ZNA uniform.
Government has intensified its thrust to curb the illegal smuggling of goods through designated and undesignated entry points.