By Delicious Mathuthu
As vehicle smuggling between Zimbabwe and South Africa continues to be a menace, efforts from the both countries to combat the problem continues after making significant arrests and convictions in recent days.
In South Africa, the Provincial Anti-Smuggling Task team in Limpopo intercepted a 36-year-old male suspect en-route to Zimbabwe through the Beitbridge border post.
The suspect was driving a stolen Toyota Fortuner from Gauteng, which was apprehended on Thursday morning, June 6, 2024, in Matlala policing area outside Polokwane.
The suspect will appear before the Seshego Magistrate’s Court facing a charge of possession of a presumed stolen motor vehicle.
Meanwhile, in Zimbabwe, Rodwin Gweshero (30) appeared before the Beitbridge Magistrates’ Court, a town on the border with South Africa, also facing smuggling charges.
Gweshero was caught driving a White Toyota Wish with a counterfeit registration book and a fraudulent cross-border police clearance certificate.
Further investigations revealed that the registration numbers and engine number on the vehicle belonged to different cars, and the license disc was issued to a Mazda B1800.
The smuggled motor vehicle was handed over to the Zombabwe Revenue Authority (ZIMRA), and Gweshero was sentenced to 20 months imprisonment, with part of the sentence suspended on condition that he performs 525 hours of community
service.
