Two Chinese nstionals caught at border trying to smuggle 30kg of gold out of Zimbabwe

Police have arrested two Chinese nationals who were caught attempting to smuggle nearly 30 kilograms of gold and a large sum of cash from Zimbabwe.

The suspects, identified as Zhao Yanjing, 46, and Zhao Changson, 58, were apprehended on August 13 last year during a swift operation by Zambian authorities.

According to the Inspector-General of the Zambia Police Service, Graphel Musamba, the gold was cleverly hidden in secret compartments within the door panels of a Toyota Land Cruiser Prado with Zimbabwean number plates.

“This successful recovery follows credible intelligence received on 12 August which indicated that a Toyota Land Cruiser Prado bearing Zimbabwean number plates was suspected of carrying precious stones,” said Inspector-General Musamba.

The police discovered 29.9 kilograms of gold along with US$200,000 in cash during their search of the vehicle.

Both suspects denied any knowledge of the contraband, with Yanjing claiming she had purchased the vehicle less than two weeks before and was unaware of what was hidden inside.

Investigations revealed that the suspects reside in Harare where they operate a fencing wire business.

This incident highlights the ongoing challenge of gold smuggling that Zimbabwe faces, with estimates suggesting the country loses approximately US$100 million worth of gold each month through its porous borders.

The Zimbabwean government has been intensifying efforts to curb these illegal activities by implementing new security measures.