Are Households at Risk? Govt Clarifies Door-to-Door Crackdown on Smuggled Goods
The government has clarified its door-to-door crackdown on smuggled goods following fears that the operation might target households.
Engineer Tafadzwa Muguti, Permanent Secretary of Presidential Affairs in the Office of the President, addressed the concerns on his verified X (formerly Twitter) account, setting the record straight.
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Govt Launches Crackdown on Smugglers
The government launched the operation to seize smuggled goods flooding the market, particularly during the festive season. Those caught with these items face imprisonment without bail. The initiative aims to combat the country’s annual losses of up to US$1 billion due to smuggling along its borders.
This crackdown comes at a time when smuggling activities peak, as many Zimbabweans return home for the Christmas and New Year holidays, often bringing goods from neighbouring countries like South Africa. Eng. Muguti emphasized that the operation seeks to protect the local industry from cheap and often counterfeit products that may also pose health risks to consumers.
Clarification On Door-to-Door Crackdown on Smuggled Goods
The announcement sparked heated debate on social media, with speculation that the operation would target private homes. Addressing these concerns, Eng. Muguti clarified in a post on Friday that the operation primarily focuses on wholesalers, supermarkets, and tech shops. Smuggled items being targeted include food, clothing, drugs, beverages, fertilizers, cement, vehicles, electrical gadgets, and solar panels.
“Please kindly note no time in the video did I mention household searches. As with the current programme door to door in this regard is shop to shop, business to business,” he wrote.
Govt Targeting Houses Being Used As Warehouses
He added that the government is aware some homes are being used as warehouses for smuggled goods and that they will address this issue soon.
“However, we are aware some homes are being used as store warehouses for smuggled goods and we are equally dealing with them,” he added.
Please kindly note no time in the video did I mention household searches. As with the current programme door to door in this regard is shop to shop, business to business. However, we are aware some homes are being used as store warehouses for smuggled goods and we are equally…
— Eng. Tafadzwa Muguti (@TMuguti) December 20, 2024
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