Smuggled tobacco recovered in Zambia

Tobacco

Some of the tobacco worth over US$1,5 million belonging to a local company, Saltlakes Tobacco,

 that was recently smuggled out of Bak Storage in Harare, has been recovered in Lusaka following an operation involving Interpol, local and Zambian police.

Saltlakes Tobacco’s acting general manager, Mr Wilfred Nhemwa, last week confirmed that at least 150 tobacco bales had been recovered at Tombwe Tobacco Processors’ premises in the Zambian capital.

He said efforts to recover the rest of the smuggled consignment were continuing.

“Some of our tobacco has been recovered following a joint police operation. We are still trying to establish the location of the rest of the tobacco,” said Mr Nhemwa.

Deputy Officer Commanding Fraud Chief Superintendent Peter Magwenzi confirmed that investigations into the matter were underway but could not provide more details for fear of jeopardising investigations.

“Investigations are still underway. It is not the only case that we are investigating. There are other cases of tobacco smuggling.

“We urge tobacco companies to interrogate the security systems at Bak Storage because the cases of tobacco smuggling should not have happened,” he said.

The discovery of the 150 bales comes after six bales belonging to another local company were also recovered in Zambia through Interpol.It is suspected that three senior Saltlakes officials connived with some employees at Bak Storage to smuggle the tobacco out of the country.

The suspects are Saltlakes Tobacco general manager Simbarashe Muchengeti, chief buyer Augustus Mberengwa and warehouse supervisor Jason Nyika.

They have since appeared at the Harare Magistrates’ Court charged with breaching the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act.The three are, however, denying the charges and are out on US$500 bail each. The bail conditions require them to report to police twice a week.

Muchengeti is also facing a separate charge of defrauding the indigenous company of 43 000 litres of diesel and is due to appear in court this week.