280kg Drug Haul Drama as Suspects Ram Police Vehicle, Flee Into Darkness
"After hitting the back of the police vehicle, the driver and his accomplice jumped off the vehicle and took to their heels, disappearing into the darkness."
Delicious Mathuthu 
Mvuma — A police checkpoint near Mvuma erupted into chaos early Saturday morning when suspects rammed a security barricade before abandoning nearly 280 kilograms of mbanje (dagga/marijuana).
The incident occurred at around 3:40am today, 5 September 2026, at the 188 kilometre peg along the Harare-Masvingo highway.
Officers from the Zimbabwe Republic Police Mvuma recovered approximately 279.38 kilograms of the illicit substance from a white Nissan NV350 combi, registration AGS6929, which police believe was heading towards Harare.
Midlands Police Spokesperson, Inspector Emmanuel Mahoko, said the vehicle approached the checkpoint at high speed from the Masvingo direction and ignored signals to stop.
The driver then swerved in an attempt to avoid a tipper truck that had just been cleared, colliding with the rear of a parked ZRP Mvuma Ford Ranger.
"The traffic checkpoint had been mounted by a team of eight police officers from ZRP Mvuma, on an operation targeting dangerous drugs, armed robberies, stock theft and wanted persons," Inspector Mahoko said.
"After hitting the back of the police vehicle, the driver and his accomplice jumped off the vehicle and took to their heels, disappearing into the darkness," he said.
A subsequent search of the abandoned combi yielded dagga in 17 bags of about 15 kilograms each and 90 packets of roughly two kilograms each.
Part of the recovered dagga.
Inspector Mahoko said the police vehicle suffered moderate damage to its rear tailgate, bumper and right tail light, while the Nissan combi sustained frontal damage.
Both vehicles were moved to ZRP Mvuma for further inquiries as efforts continue to identify and arrest the suspects who escaped.
The damage sustained by the suspects' Nissan vehicle after ramming into the rear of a stationery police Ford Ranger at the checkpoint.
The recovery also comes after an earlier incident on 25 July 2026 along the Shurugwi road, where two women were arrested transporting unregistered Benylin with Codeine.
Inspector Mahoko urged members of the public to assist in locating the suspects, and warned citizens to unite in the fight against drug and substance abuse.
“We now appeal to members of the public for assistance to identify, locate and arrest suspects behind this crime.
"We reiterate our calls upon all citizens to join hands and be serious in fighting cases of dealing in and abuse of drugs.
"They have far reaching negative effects on individuals and as well as the well being of the nation," Inspector Mahoko said.
