Malawian Woman Arrested with 14kg of Dagga

A 40-year-old Malawian woman accused of transporting 14kg of dagga from South Africa into Zimbabwe has appeared in court facing charges of unlawful dealing in dangerous drugs.

Thokozani Msauka appeared at the Harare Magistrates’ Court following her arrest.

The court heard that on October 23, 2026, detectives from the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) Drugs and Narcotics received information that Msauka was transporting dagga from South Africa into Zimbabwe aboard a Sub-Sahara Link coach.

On October 24, 2026, at about 12.05 am, detectives intercepted a Scania Sub-Sahara bus, registration number BT 16493, driven by Malawian national Yohane Mkandawire, at Skyline Tollgate in Harare. The bus was subsequently taken to Harare Central Police Station for searches.

During the searches, detectives observed Msauka seated in the second-to-last row on the left-hand side, with a red plastic bag beside her.

She claimed ownership of the bag, which contained one transparent vacuum-sealed packet of dagga, three transparent plastic packets wrapped in yellow cello tape, and four transparent plastic packets wrapped in black and transparent plastic.

Msauka also claimed ownership of two Pan Palm plastic buckets in the passage beside her seat.

A search of one of the buckets led to the discovery of three transparent plastic packets of dagga, while three additional transparent plastic packets wrapped together in black plastic were also recovered.

Msauka and the recovered drugs were taken to CID Drugs and Narcotics in Harare.

The 14 packets reportedly weighed approximately 14kg and had an estimated street value of US$1,400.

She was remanded in custody to a later date for trial, while the dagga was retained as an exhibit.