Two Bulawayo women have appeared before the Harare Regional Court facing charges of allegedly attempting to export 2,165 grammes of crystal methamphetamine worth US$21,650 to the Philippines.
Michelle Mupati, 26, of Livingstone Suburbs, and Lorcadia Zhou, 20, of Old Pumula, are facing separate charges of attempted export of dangerous drugs.
The State alleges Mupati first attempted to send 1,053 grammes of methamphetamine concealed inside a brown leatherette folder through FedEx on March 12.
According to the State, a FedEx employee became suspicious after recognising Mupati as someone who had previously sent parcels to the Philippines.
The parcel was sent to Harare for further inspection, where a FedEx operations manager allegedly noticed that the folder's zip had been tampered with and that granules were coming out.
Police from the Criminal Investigations Department's Drugs and Narcotics section were called in, and a field test allegedly indicated the presence of methamphetamine.
Mupati was arrested on April 10 at her home in Bulawayo. The following day, detectives allegedly opened the folder in her presence and recovered two black plastic packets containing suspected methamphetamine weighing 550 grammes and 503 grammes.
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Forensic tests allegedly confirmed the substance as methamphetamine, with a street value of US$10,530.
In the second charge, Mupati and Zhou are accused of jointly attempting to export four hippopotamus curios containing 1,112 grammes of methamphetamine on March 23.
The State alleges Mupati used her identity documents to send the parcel, while Zhou assisted her and provided a false residential address.
The parcel was again intercepted after a FedEx employee allegedly recognised Mupati. Upon inspection in Harare, the bases of the four curios were allegedly found to have been tampered with.
The curios were opened on April 11 in the presence of the accused, and four black plastic packets containing suspected methamphetamine were allegedly recovered.
The packets weighed 382 grammes, 378 grammes, 210 grammes and 142 grammes, respectively. Forensic tests allegedly confirmed the substance as methamphetamine, valued at US$11,120.
The State is expected to produce the recovered drugs, curios, leatherette folder, FedEx receipts, identification documents, forensic reports and CCTV footage as exhibits.
The matter is still pending before the court.
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