Staff Reporter

The Airports of Zimbabwe Company (AZC) is set to enhance the security measures at all the international airports across the country as a way of closing loopholes that are leading to the pilfering of gold, ivory and other valuable minerals and the smuggling of illegal substances such as drugs, ivory and weapons.

A contact within the AZC disclosed that a French company owned by Holland Alexander, had been approached to Build Operate and Transfer (BOT), a state of the art security set up.

“A French company by the name Amarante Security is earmarked to set up a full security package, which will comprise of sniffer dogs and security equipment, capable of detecting explosives, guns, minerals and Covid-19 disease, at the Robert Gabriel Mugabe International Airport, Joshua Mqhabuko Nkomo International Airport and Victoria Falls International Airport.

“There is an urgent need for security to be enhanced at our international and regional ports of entry and exit.  Government has lost billions of dollars through smuggling of gold and other minerals,” said the contact.

Last year a suspect, Tashinga Nyasha Masinire (33), was found in possession of 23 pieces of gold at the Oliver R. Tambo International Airport in South Africa, having smuggled it out of Zimbabwe through the Robert Gabriel Mugabe International Airport. This followed the apprehension of Zimbabwe Miners Federation president Henrietta Rushwaya who was nabbed at the same port with 6kgs of gold worth US$366k destined for Dubai.