Attempts to smuggle four illegal immigrants from Malawi to South Africa after hiding them in a false compartment created within the chassis of a commercial truck trailer were thwarted by the Zimbabwe Revenue Authority (ZIMRA) at Beitbridge Border Post recently.

 

 

The driver of the truck, who confessed receiving payments from the concerned people, hid the illegal immigrants in the two areas with the intention of smuggling them across the border to South Africa without any valid travel documents. At the time of going to print, it could not be ascertained how the immigrants had crossed from Malawi into Zimbabwe.

 

It was unfortunate that the daring driver even had the nerve to dangerously expose the four people to radiation when he had his vehicle scanned by ZIMRA as part of the Authority’s efforts to expedite legitimate trade and travel.

 

Alert ZIMRA officers who were analysing scanner images were shocked to realise that there were human-like features and their fears were confirmed when they interviewed the driver. The driver and the illegal immigrants were subsequently handed over to the Police for prosecution.

 

In a related incident, another vehicle travelling from South Africa to Malawi was intercepted on January 2 at the same border post for hiding eight illegal immigrants in the containerised truck and exposing them to radiation from the scanners. The vehicle was scanned and it was discovered that the illegal immigrants were hidden in the container to avoid immigration formalities, since they did not have valid travel documents.

 

ZIMRA Commissioner General, Mr Gershem Pasi, decried the dangerous and illegal human trafficking and smuggling rackets for breaking the law and putting lives of people at risk through exposure to radiation.

 

“The non-intrusive inspection technology was introduced to detect contraband, secure our borders and expedite legitimate trade and travel. It is worrisome when smugglers go to extreme extents of hiding people in compartments while scanning is underway in total disregard of the dangers of exposing such people to radiation,” said Mr Pasi.

 

ZIMRA introduced scanners at ports of entry and exit in 2003 as part of its modernisation initiatives to quicken Customs clearance and improve convenience to the transacting public.

 

The truck which is alleged to have been carrying people who wanted to illegally cross Beitbridge Border Post recently