12 Jul 2020

Semolale Police recently arrested and charged Zimbabwean citizens, together with some Batswana, for attempting to smuggle goods into Zimbabwe.

Semolale police station commander, Superintendent Boipuso Baatweng said a 27 year-old Motswana man from Semolale was nabbed by a police patrol team at 2am, around Sedakeng cattle posts (from Gobojango), while transporting Zimbabweans who sought to smuggle goods into Zimbabwe.

A 43-year-old Zimbabwean man was arrested with goods worth over P10 000 while his compatriot, a 32 year-old Zimbabwean woman, attempted to smuggle 340 litres of petrol and 45 litres of diesel into Zimbabwe.

Supt Baatweng said the duo of Zimbabwean nationals have been charged with section 10 of Emergency Powers Act that prohibited movement between countries. He said that the act prescribed a fine of not more than P5 000 or six months in jail or both.

In addition to acting in cohort with illegal immigrants to smuggle goods, the 27 year-old driver was also fined P2 000 for transporting hazardous goods without a license as spelt out in the Road Traffic Act.

Police investigations uncovered that prior to acquiring the goods they attempted to smuggle, the Zimbabweans were harboured in Semolale and Gobojango.

A 45-year-old man of Semolale and a 58-year-old woman of Gobojango were both charged with harbouring illegal immigrants in question and subsequently fined P5 000 each.

Supt Baatweng stated that the confiscated goods would be handed over to Botswana Unified Revenue Services while fuel would be handed over to Botswana Energy Regulatory Authority.

Semolale Police chief expressed concerns over risks of COVID-19 due to illegal border crossing especially that movement between countries was discontinued as one of the measures to contain the spread of the pandemic.

Mr Baatweng also decried that smuggling of goods impacted negatively on the economy and lashed out at Batswana who continued to assist smugglers.

“You may be aware that we are currently facing fuel shortage that led to rationing and acts such as smuggling of the same would further worsens our woes,” said Supt Baatweng.

Mr Baatweng sounded a warning to Zimbabweans who crossed into Zimbabwe, but first cutting through Botswana at Shalimpo (where Shashe and Limpopo rivers merge and the three countries of Botswana, South Africa and Zimbabwe meet.) He pleaded for tipoffs that could lead to the arrest of border jumpers. Ends