Fake ZRP Inspector & ZNA Soldier Nabbed In US$96k Beitbridge Drug Run With 600kg Of Dagga: ‘Real Cop Gave Me The Uniform’

More Details Revealed As Fake ZRP Officer & ZNA Soldier Arrested With 600kg Of Marijuana Near Beitbridge

A serving Corporal in the Zimbabwe National Army’s elite Presidential Guard and his civilian accomplice, who was dressed in a fake Zimbabwe Republic Police uniform complete with Assistant Inspector badges, have been arrested near Beitbridge after being caught red-handed with six hundred kilogrammes of marijuana worth nearly one hundred thousand United States Dollars.

The shocking arrest took place on 14 February 2026 at a National Task Force on Anti-Smuggling roadblock in Bubi, situated 77 kilometres from the Beitbridge border post along the bustling Beitbridge-Masvingo Highway. What initially appeared to be a routine stop quickly unravelled into one of the most significant drug busts involving security forces in recent memory.

The Highway Interception

Acting on a tip-off received through a confidential contact, vigilant members of the anti-smuggling task force flagged down a white Toyota Hilux bearing registration number AGP 1412. Upon searching the vehicle, officers were stunned to discover 120 individually wrapped parcels, each containing approximately five kilograms of cannabis. The combined weight of the haul was 600 kilograms, with an estimated street value of US$96,000 (approximately R1.77 million).

The packaging had been meticulously sealed with cling wrap and heavy-duty cellotape, a technique allegedly used to prevent detection by sniffer dogs from the K9 unit. The vehicle’s licence discs had also been removed from the windscreen, creating the false impression that it was a government-owned motorcade vehicle exempt from thorough searching.

The driver of the vehicle, identified as 35-year-old Norest Jingura, a taxi driver residing at 1579 Mukuvisi Road, Waterfalls, Harare, was clad in a full Zimbabwe Republic Police uniform. He wore the badges of an Assistant Inspector, a rank that commands respect and authority at checkpoints. Sources indicate that Jingura had maintained a clean shave to complete the illusion of a genuine officer.

Jingura indicated that he was given the uniform by ZRP officer Assistant Inspector Dzingai Takawarasha stationed at Mukushi Academy.

This startling admission has immediately turned the focus of the investigation inward, as authorities now hunt for the named officer to determine how a genuine police uniform found its way into the hands of an alleged drug trafficker. The ZRP has confirmed that comprehensive investigations are underway to establish the full chain of custody regarding the uniform.

The Soldier’s Role

Riding alongside the fake policeman was the registered owner of the Toyota Hilux, 44-year-old Alison Maredza. Maredza is not just any civilian; he is a serving Corporal in the Zimbabwe National Army and a member of the prestigious Presidential Guard, based at the ZNA Presidential Guard, Dzivarasekwa Barracks in Harare. His alleged involvement in the drug trade represents a dramatic breach of the military code of conduct.

The modus operandi employed by the pair reveals a calculated plan to evade law enforcement. Sources suspect that traffickers are increasingly using security force members to transport illicit goods, banking on the assumption that vehicles with uniformed occupants will face less scrutiny at roadblocks.

The financial incentives for such high-risk operations are stark. During interrogation, Jingura revealed the economics of their illegal enterprise.

Jingura indicated that they are paid twenty five United States Dollars (US$25-00) for delivering one cob. In this case the accused were going to be paid three thousand United States Dollars (US$3000-00) upon delivering the drugs.

This would have netted the pair approximately three thousand United States Dollars (US$3,000 / approximately R55,400) for the single trip, a staggering sum in a struggling economy.

Following their arrest, the duo was immediately handed over to ZRP CID Drugs and Narcotics in Beitbridge for further processing and meticulous investigation.e.