A Bulawayo couple which was arrested for possessing 2kg of Crystal Methamphetamine smuggled in from India with a street value of US$120 000, has been granted ZW$500.
Judith Phiri (24) of Killarney suburb and Keith Mpofu (24) of Pumula North were busted after detectives got a tip-off from Zimbabwe Revenue Authority (Zimra) officials.
The court heard that 1,980kg of the illegal drug was received via Courier Connect stashed in between layers of boxes containing 25 packets of weaves.
Phiri and Mpofu pleaded not guilty to a charge of violating section 157 (1) (a) of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act (possession of crystal methamphetamine).
Bulawayo Provincial Magistrate Tinashe Tashaya remanded them to September 29 for provision of a trial date.
They (Mpofu and Phiri), are being represented by Messrs Lament Ngwenya and Siphosethu Nkomo of Mathonsi Ncube Law Chambers.
State representative, Memory Matare said on August 20, detectives from CID Drugs and Narcotics in Bulawayo received information from Zimra officials that there was a suspicious parcel at Courier Connect which had arrived from India. The parcel was addressed to Phiri.
“Armed with the information, detectives carried out surveillance so that they could identify the owner of the parcel. They then observed Phiri collecting the parcel and she was in the company of Mpofu,” said Matare.
She said detectives approached the two accused persons soon after they had collected the parcel and introduced themselves before requesting to search the parcel.
“On searching the parcel, detectives recovered 1,980kg of crystal methamphetamine hidden in a consignment of weaves. The drugs were placed in between two boxes containing the weaves,” said Matare.
They were taken to the CID Drugs and Narcotics section where a drug preliminary test was conducted on the powder and it tested positive for crystal methamphetamine leading to Phiri and Mpofu’s arrest.
The drugs, valued at $118 800, were subsequently seized by the police.
