Forbes infamous for lithium smuggling

FORBES Border Post has become infamous as a conduit through which lithium is being smuggled out of the country, amid revelations that four of the seven cases in which haulage truck drivers sought to smuggle the on-demand mineral resource in the first quarter of 2024 were detected there en-route to the Sea Port of Beira in Mozambique.

The detection of the four trucks by alert security and immigration agents was a tip-of-the-iceberg on the rampant illegal trafficking of precious minerals and other goods through the eastern port of entry.

For years, the smuggling of minerals — especially diamonds sourced from Chiadzwa in Marange — has been going on undetected at Forbes Border Post as foreigners, some of whom were stationed in leafy suburbs of Mutare and small towns dotted on the Mozambican side of the border were, allegedly working in cahoots with unscrupulous security and border officials to facilitate the smooth passage of their contraband.

But in recent times, after the emergence of Zimbabwe as one of the major producers of lithium in the world, the on-demand environmentally friendly mineral has become the latest to be added on the list of minerals being illegally siphoned through Forbes Border Post.

In an interview on the sidelines of a two-day media engagement workshop in Headlands last week, Minerals Marketing Corporation of Zimbabwe (MMCZ) acting general manager, Dr Nomsa Moyo, said seven cases of lithium smuggling were detected since January — four of which were at Forbes Border Post in Mutare.

“We have recorded seven reported cases of lithium smuggling as at March 31 from January 2024. These have been prosecuted, and some have been fined, while some have been detained depending on the magnitude of the offences committed. We are also in the process of disposing of the lithium that was forfeited after the arrests.

“Unfortunately, we cannot give you the details of the defaulters as some of the cases are still pending before the courts. The total monetary value of the seized lithium mineral is US$75 040,” she said.

Dr Moyo said the smugglers use counterfeit documents when smuggling the mineral resource, and various security measures are being implemented to reduce corruption at border posts and curtail smuggling of precious minerals.

She said they have intensified investigations to arrest all would-be smugglers at the country’s ports of entry.

“Of the seven cases, five cases related to the use of duplicate export papers and two involved attempting to smuggle

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the mineral resource without export papers,” she said.

Dr Moyo said they were working hard to stamp out illegal smuggling of minerals despite the vice being perpetrated in connivance with some unscrupulous Government officials.

“We have a challenge in terms of lithium miners smuggling the mineral out of the country. We have tried to bring some to book, but certainly not all. We will continue to turn the heat on them. We cannot sit on our laurels, and say we have plugged all the loopholes 100 percent. Some may still escape our attention, but we will not tire. Like I said, there is connivance with some officials in various arms of Government. There are a number of connected people involved in the process, but we will execute our mandate without fear or favour,” she said.

Dr Moyo said MMCZ has been pushing to be part of the border monitoring security system despite being told that the presence of their additional officers will militate against the ease-of-doing-business mantra.

“In terms of representation at the border posts, we have tried so many times to have our officers at the border posts, but the borders are the responsibility of Zimbabwe Revenue Authority (ZIMRA).

“ZIMRA has told us that they have too many stakeholders at the border posts and having our officers will defeat the purpose of having the ease-of-doing-business. They have continuously maintained that our presence is not necessary, though we feel otherwise. It is for that reason that we continue negotiating with them to accommodate us.

“However, we should also be mindful that humans being humans, we might have our officers there and end up being more corrupt than those already there.

“So we have since resorted to mounting roadblocks a few kilometres from the border posts. The roadblocks are strategically positioned and from there onwards there is no way the trucks will avoid the border,” she said.

MMCZ is also exploring other measures to curb the illegal export of minerals through an electronic monitoring system and use of drones that will also help monitor personnel at border posts and roadblocks.

“We are trying to come up with an electronic monitoring systems inserted in strategic places where ZIMRA, the Zimbabwe Republic Police’s Minerals Flora and Fauna Unit, and MMCZ teams are all able to monitor and scrutinise the movements of cargo-carrying trucks. We may be able to minimise corruption through such watertight monitoring systems.

“We are also in the process of securing drones that we want all the stakeholders involved to utilise by watching so that if it is at a roadblock being mounted by MMCZ or the Flora and Fauna Unit, and an unruly element wants to be bribed the electronic system will deter them from taking the bribe because they know that officials from other departments will be watching and monitoring them,” she said.

On May 12, 2023, police in Masvingo impounded 3 700 tonnes of lithium in Masvingo which Bikita Minerals claimed ownership of.

Lithium, critical for the production of electric vehicle (EV) batteries, has fast become a top commodity as countries move to ramp up the use of electric-powered cars, while phasing out traditional internal combustion engines to meet global climate targets.

Lithium is becoming a highly sought-after commodity in the drive to achieve a net-zero global economy.

Fuel commodities are allegedly smuggled in through Forbes Border Post, with the case involving former Deputy Minister of Finance and Economic Development, Terrence Mukupe and three accomplices, who were jailed effective three years each following their conviction for importing more than 138 000 litres of diesel in three tankers without paying duty, being one of the few detected cases.

The tankers with diesel from Beira were marked as being en-route to DRC when they were destined for Harare.