The warning shots were fired by Police Commissioner Augustine Chihuri, who advised the Border Controls Unit to put its house in order in a recent address to police officers.
Troubled by the rapid increase of police involvement in smuggling, Chihuri said officers must desist from such rogue practises, as they were denting the image of the force. He argued that it is impossible for goods to be smuggled without the knowledge of the Unit.
“The issue of smuggling is now reaching extremes. This is an inside job I can assure you. How can a heavy vehicle load appear like a fuel tanker, when in actual fact it’s of full of cigarettes? Remember, these cigarettes are not picked from the bush. You are supposed to be on guard at all times. This is causing a lot of drainage on the country’s economy. The country is not benefitting from anything.
“We have people shooting each other along the borders because of this. You (Border Control Unit) need to put your house in order,” instructed the police boss.
Investigations at Forbes Border Post unearthed that the police, clearing agencies and Zimbabwe Revenue Authorities have been identified as the chief perpetrators of smuggling.
Post published in: News