Alleged drug syndicates use fake funerals to smuggle narcotics into Zimbabwe

Alleged drug smugglers are increasingly exploiting fake funerals to smuggle narcotics between Zimbabwe and South Africa.

Officials at Beitbridge border post nabbed a vehicle attempting to smuggle drugs to Zimbabwe. Image via Facebook @SundayNewsZimbabwe

Alleged drug smugglers along the Zimbabwe-South Africa route are increasingly using fake funerals as a cover to transport illicit substances.

Authorities have uncovered several cases of traffickers disguising their operations as funeral processions. Criminals exploit the sanctity of death to evade detection.

On Sunday morning, Beitbridge authorities caught a driver who allegedly pretended to be transporting a dead body. They discovered he was smuggling an unspecified quantity of drugs. They discovered the drugs hidden under his vehicle’s trailer.

Drug Smuggling Attempt Uncovered at Beitbridge Border

Authorities stopped the Toyota Quantum for a routine inspection as it traveled from South Africa to Zimbabwe. They noticed irregularities during the check. According to Sunday News Zimbabwe, upon further investigation, officials discovered the concealed drugs and detained the driver for questioning.

Growing Trend of Drug Smuggling via Fake Funerals

In a separate incident, authorities caught a South African-registered Toyota Quantum smuggling cough syrup into Zimbabwe via the Beitbridge border post. The smugglers hid the syrup in a coffin, pretending to transport a body. The syrup is reportedly in high demand, as people consume it to get high. This demonstrates an ongoing trend where traffickers exploit coffins and funerals as cover for illicit drug transportation.

Public Reaction and Concerns

The interception comes amid growing concerns over drug smuggling in the region, with officials urging the public to remain vigilant and report any suspicious activities.

The incident has also sparked reactions on social media, with many expressing concerns about the consequences of such smuggling tactics.

@TracyMoyo151105 wrote, “Now these officials will start opening our corpses that need to go home and rest, thinking we are all drugs when I’ll be a genuinely dead body…” Others criticised the smugglers for disrespecting the deceased and misleading authorities, while some called for stricter measures to curb drug trafficking at the border.

@Godfree Paw said: “It’s syndicate, they queue in different clinics and combine the merchandise and take it home. Same to ARVs they use same strategy. They going to sell them to private health institutions or company that is contracted to supply meds to health department in Zim.”