A Zimbabwean woman, Memory Maphosa, was arrested at the Beitbridge Border Post on Sunday night together with Vuyiswa Mabasa of Lesotho while trying to smuggle drugs with an estimated value of R8 million.
According to the South African Press Agency, the two appeared in court in Musina today and were remanded to 3 February. The two were allegedly carrying 18kg of a substance believed to be ephedrine
Ephedrine is used in the manufacturing of methamphetamine whose street names include meth, crystal meth, ice, crack and speed- a cocktail of drugs termed the “poor man’s cocaine”.
Last December a Zimbabwean woman identified as Cellia Dhomingo was arrested in India after being found with 20kg of ephedrine.
In April another Zimbabwean woman identified as Elder Rizive was arrested in India trying to smuggle 25kg of drugs. Her haul was valued at about US$2 million.
The Indian media reported that poor Zimbabwean women were being used as couriers for the drug whose main market was Johannesburg in South Africa.
The drug sold for about US$550 a kg in India but was resold at 10 times that in foreign destinations.
(305 VIEWS)
