Police in Bulawayo on Friday intercepted a vehicle carrying a consignment consisting of 144 Broncleer bottles and marijuana destined for Victoria Falls and arrested a 31-year-old man who works at Mpilo Central Hospital.
BronCleer, a cough syrup with high alcohol content and containing the restricted codeine, is banned in Zimbabwe but is popular with drug abusers.
The accused has been identified as Mthokozisi Lenje, who is employed as a switchboard operator at Mpilo Hospital.
Bulawayo police spokesperson Inspector Abednico Ncube confirmed the incident.
“Police in Bulawayo have arrested a man aged 31 years old for possession of Broncleer and dagga. Police traffic department was on patrol on Friday evening when they came across a motor vehicle which was heading to Victoria Falls at corner Masotsha Ndlovu and Lobengula street. They stopped and asked to search the motor vehicle and they discovered 144 bottles of Broncleer, one bottle of mayo gel and 2 cobs of Imbanje with a weight of approximately one kilogramme,” said Inspector Ncube.
“Upon questioning the driver, he indicated that the property belonged to Lenje and it was destined for some people in Victoria Falls. This led to the arrest of Mthokozisi Lenje aged 31 years who is employed at Mpilo Hospital as a switchboard operator.”
Inspector Ncube said Lenje acknowledged that the consignment belonged to him.
“He will appear in court soon, however, he is currently assisting police with investigations to establish the source of the 144 bottles and the mbanje and even the market”.
Inspector Ncube said they will leave no stone unturned in ensuring that the law is followed.
“This effort by our traffic officers has given us very good results in the sense that through them we have recovered a lot of property that is stolen by means of theft from motor vehicles, even hijacked motor vehicles are recovered through our traffic department and today we realized the arrest of a person in position of Broncleer who is to appear in court soon,” he said.
