Beitbridge Brothers Arrested After Police Bust Document Forgery Factory
Two Beitbridge brothers have been arrested after investigators uncovered a fully equipped forgery operation producing fake border documents used to smuggle goods across the Beitbridge Border Post.
Hopewell and Phillip Ndlovu were taken into custody following a coordinated operation involving the Zimbabwe Insurance Crimes Bureau (ZICB) and CID detectives. Authorities say the pair is suspected to be part of a wider network facilitating illegal border crossings through fraudulent paperwork.
Tip-Offs Lead Investigators to Forgery Hub
ZICB, operating under the Insurance Council of Zimbabwe, recently strengthened its presence in Beitbridge to counter the rise in suspicious insurance documents circulating at the border.
Sources say intelligence gathered by the bureau triggered a sting that led officers straight to the Ndlovu brothers’ office.
A source close to the investigation revealed that when officers raided the premises, the pair was allegedly in the middle of producing counterfeit Comesa yellow insurance cards—documents widely used for regional cross-border travel.
“When we moved in, they were knee-deep in forgery. They were printing and distributing fake Comesa yellow cards and pocketing the proceeds,” the source said.
Equipment and Documents Seized in the Raid
During the operation, detectives reportedly recovered a significant haul of suspected forged items and production equipment. The seized materials include:
- Blank Comesa yellow cards
- Fake and original birth and death certificates
- Blank Central Vehicle Registry driver’s licences
- A Zimbabwe Revenue Authority receipt book
- Multiple passports
- Four erased defensive driving licence certificates
- South African motor registration books, including blank copies
- Five printers
- A laptop
- A laminating machine
- A price-label gun
Investigators believe the setup was capable of producing a wide range of forged documents used to bypass customs, avoid inspections, and facilitate illicit movement of goods.
Brothers Appear in Court as Probe Expands
The Ndlovu brothers appeared in court on Wednesday facing several charges, including forgery, fraud, possession of articles for criminal use, and breaching the Immigration Act.
Authorities say the investigation is far from over and could expose a larger syndicate operating on the fringes of the country’s busiest border post.
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The post Beitbridge Brothers Arrested After Police Bust Document Forgery Factory appeared first on iHarare News.
