Nurse jailed for smuggling drug after being caught at Harare International Airport

By Nyore Madzianike

A nurse at Fishock Home Nursing Services located in Cape Town South Africa was nabbed at the Harare International Airport while attempting to smuggle 12 kilograms of a drug believed to be used to neutralise cocaine.

Leontiana Sims was arrested and taken to the Harare magistrates’ court after she was found with 12kgs of Ephedrine worth US$36 000.

Ephedrine is believed to be used by drug peddlers to neutralise cocaine.

The 31-year-old nurse admitted to the charges when she appeared before magistrate Lazini Ncube, who slapped her with an effective six months jail-term.

Prosecutor Francesca Mukumbiri had it that on March 18 this year at around 5pm detectives from CID Drugs and Narcotics received a tip off that from ZIMRA officials that there was a woman, who was coming from India with suspicious luggage.

Detectives intercepted Sims, made a search and found 12 sachets that were stashed in a T-Shirt.

The detectives took the 12 sachets for testing and results showed that it was Ephedrine.

Sims was then arrested for contravening sections of the Medicines and Allied Substances Control (general) Regulations since she had no license authorising her to carry such drug.

Magistrate Ncube ordered that the Ephedrine be forfeited to the State. H Metro