- Zim in heavy tax revenue loss due to illicit cigarettes trade
- Remmington Gold blend from Zim most sought after in SA
- Security forces in both countries allegedly involved
THE Zimbabwe Revenue Authority (Zimra) is losing millions of dollars in tobacco tax revenue, with cigarettes smuggling into South Africa rife on the Limpopo River, Zim Morning Post can reveal.
The Remmington Gold and Pacific are the most sought after brands among cigarettes smugglers plying the Zimbabwe-South Africa illegal cigarettes route.
The smugglers have caused untold revenue loss to the fiscus, which is receiving nothing in terms of tax revenue.
Investigations by Zim Morning Post revealed that a syndicate based in Beitbridge is allegedlly working in cahoots with the Zimbabwe National Army, Zimbabwe Republic Police and security forces from South Africa deployed in the border areas in order to ensure the smooth flow of the contraband.
The syndicate is said to be controlled by one Samson Nkunado.
The alleged cigarettes syndicate ringleader did not answer his phone after Zim Morning Post called him for a comment on the allegations.
The syndicate is said to be using areas popularly known as Mushechi, Dhite, and Malale in Beitbridge.
These areas are used as loading points and transit areas for smugglers.
Musechi, on the Zimbabwean side, is where cigarette smugglers gather for further instructions from their financiers.
Dhite is a transit point on the South African side and is especially used by the smugglers to evade South African police checks during the country’s border patrol operations.
Cigarettes smugglers are said to cover a distance of more than 40 kilometres while carrying cigarette boxes to the loading points.
A top government official (name withheld), is also implicated in the syndicate, where it is believed the contraband is transported via train to Beitbridge and in some instances by helicopters.
A popular businessman, who is currently in self-imposed exile and owns a cigarettes manufacturing company, was also fingered in the illicit trade.
Meanwhile, the latest report on the Illicit Tobacco Trade in Zimbabwe and South Africa, done by the Scowcroft Centre for Strategy and Security, has revealed that fuel tankers and trucks are mostly used to smuggle cigarettes across the Beitbridge Border into Zimbabwe.