Mozambique: 700 kilograms of suspected meth seized on a Maputo-bound bus

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Mozambique: 700 kilograms of suspected meth seized on a Maputo-bound bus

3:41 CAT | 06 Oct 2022

Photo: Notícias

Over 700 kilograms of what is presumed to be methamphetamine was seized on a passenger vehicle in Gorongosa. Sofala province, on Monday.

Sofala police spokesman Daniel Macuacua told the press, speaking in the city of Beira, that the seizure took place at a checkpoint, where the bus was searched and 16 bags containing more than 700 kilograms of drugs found.

Police believes that the seized methamphetamines were destined to Maputo province.

“The seized drug was being transported from the district of Namacurra [Zambézia province]. The investigation continues to determine where it came from [prior to that]. We really want to understand what would be its final destination.,” Macuacua said.

The “real” owner reportedly got off the bus in… Cheringoma

The alleged owner of the merchandise, the bus driver and its ticket collector were arrested over drug trafficking.

The bus was travelling from Nampula to Maputo and the drug was reportedly loaded in the district of Namacurra, in Zambézia.

The Police, in partnership with the carrier, mobilized another bus to transport the passengers to their destinations, given that they had detained the driver, the collector and one of the passengers. who claims that he only helped to load the goods.

The alleged owner of methamphetamine said that he did not know that the bags contained drugs and that the “real” owner had disembarked during the journey in Cheringoma, between the districts of Mocuba and Caia.

“Aquibo called me and asked to help him transport goods to Maputo. As we had already worked together on several occasions in the transport of goods, I accepted, because I would have financial gains. It was him who gave me the driver’s contact to locate the bus. I boarded the bus in Mocuba and Aquibo did the same a few kilometres later. When we arrived in the Namacurra region [Zambézia province], he asked the bus to stop next to a car containing the goods and we loaded the bags,” said the detainee.

“Aquibo got off the bus about 200 kilometres later, in the region of Ndoro, district of Cheringoma and continued [his journey] to Maputo in a private vehicle”, he added.

The driver and the collector stated that they did not know that the goods were drugs. They charged 15,000 meticais for each of the 16 bags that contained the drug, which would total 240,000 meticais, an amount which leads the police to suspect that they knew what they were carrying.

“In an interaction with other carriers, we realized that the amount they were charging per bag is not what is practicable. The investigation continues to determine the origin of the drug and arrest the owners. Transporters must always be prudent, always looking to the owners of the goods to identify the cargo they are carrying and clarify the destination of the same”, urged Daniel Macuácua, spokesman for the PRM.

The drug was incinerated by SERNIC the same day it was presented to the public.

Source: Notícias / O País