Hefty reward for smuggling tip-offs

THE Zimbabwe Republic Police will heftily reward whistle-blowers who disclose compelling evidence that help the police burst notorious smuggling syndicates that are prejudicing the country millions of dollars in lost revenue through covert operations along the Zimbabwe-Mozambique border lines.

In an interview this week, Officer Commanding Manicaland Police, Senior Assistant Commissioner Dorothy Kupara said the fight against smugglers required concerted effort.

“Whistle-blowers and informers must come up and give us vital information that result in the arrest of these smuggling syndicates. If you come up with tight evidence, vital information which we will use to track down these criminals, arrest them, take them before the courts and get convictions, we will pay you. Definitely you will get paid for doing the country a great service,” she said.

Her comments come barely a month after Police Commissioner General Godwin Matanga visited the province and fumed at senior police officers in Manicaland whom he said were steering smuggling syndicates operating along the border line.

Comm Gen Matanga said senior police officers were integral members of well known smuggling syndicates and he ordered the provincial command to up its game and stop the vice.

“We are serious about ending smuggling along the border. Armed police officers are patrolling day and night.

“We have increased our visibility in that area,” she said.

“Before we deploy the officers we are giving them lecturers on shunning corruption after deployment. Our anti-corruption teams are also putting their ears on the ground in our bid to leave no stone unturned to bring smuggling to an end.

“We also appeal to members of the public to provide us with information and tips.

“There is a possibility that the officers whom we deploy might give us false information but if we get feedback from the public we will be in a position to strategise well, remove bad apples from the police force and be able to stop smuggling.”

Snr Ass Comm Kupara said the police will arrest any of its members implicated in the criminals activities.

“My anti-corruption guys are on the ground. They are sniffing and anyone found on the wrong side of the law will be arrested. We are saying zero tolerance to corruption.”