MASVINGO - Eight foreign nationals were on Tuesday arrested by the police at 20 kilometer peg along Masvingo - Beitbridge highway after being found in possession of over 20 tonnes of copper cables.
ImageThe eight, who are suspected to be four Cameroonians, one Ghanaian, and two South Africans were being assisted by Zimbabweans who could only be identified as the Bachi brothers.
The police in Masvingo have since confirmed the arrest of the eight in connection with the smuggling of copper cables. We have since arrested them and they are in police custody assisting us with investigations. The Volvo haulage truck which they were using was impounded by the police.
We were given a tip off that some two brothers of the Bachi family in Masvingo near Nemanwa Growth Point were also assisting those guys to steal copper cables which they were smuggling to South Africa, said police Provincial Spokesperson Inspector Phibion Nyambo.
The police suspect that the cables were stolen from either Zimbabwe Electricity Supply Authority (ZESA) or Tel-One. The monetary value of the cables was not yet known by Tuesday.
The syndicate leader who is believed to be a Cameroonian who could only be identified as Engwegan, was staying at Great Zimbabwes Ancient City Hotel while his accomplices were staying at Peters Lodge about seven Kilometers out of town.
Four other small trucks which were being used in transporting cables from various places in Masvingo and Gokwe to South Africa were impounded.
These people were using smaller trucks to transport such cables from different places. They were caught with 350 kilogrammes of stay wires which they had taken from Gokwe, added Nyambo.
The syndicate will appear in court soon.
Post published in: News