Bulawayo police in broncleer, mbanje drug bust

By Judge Jarachara

Police in Bulawayo arrested two suspected drug dealers and recovered more than 140 bottles of broncleer and a one kilogramme of mbanje concealed under a consignment of groceries.

The drugs were being transported from Bulawayo to Victoria Falls in an unregistered car when it was intercepted by police.

Broncleer, commonly known as Bronco, is a cough mixture which was banned over its abuse as a euphoric drug.

The suspects, Clive Ncube (34) and Mthokozisi Lenje (31) who claimed to be employed at Mpilo Central Hospital as a switch board operator, were arrested on Friday during routine patrols to enforce Covid-19 regulations.

Ncube and Lenje were travelling in an unregistered Toyota Granvia, which was towing a trailer.

Police got suspicious when they spotted the driver of the vehicle and immediately ordered the driver to pull off the road and he complied.

The vehicle was searched leading to the recovery of three 25 litre buckets sealed with a tape.

Upon opening the buckets, police found packs of a packet of marijuana and 144 bottles of broncleer concealed under groceries.

Bulawayo provincial police spokesperson Inspector Abednico Ncube confirmed the arrest yesterday, saying the suspects would appear in court soon.

“I can confirm that we have arrested Clive Ncube (34) of Nkosana flats, Victoria Falls and Mthokozisi Lenje (31) of Mzilikazi suburb in Bulawayo for illegal possession of dangerous drugs. We recovered three buckets containing 144 bottles of broncleer each measuring 100 ml and two packets of marijuana weighing approximately one kilogramme,

“Our team of police officers were patrolling the city centre enforcing the lockdown regulations when they came across an unregistered white Toyota Granvia and a trailer registration number ADG 1743 heading towards Victoria Falls at the intersection of Masotsha Ndlovu Avenue and Lobengula Street,” Ncube said. The Chronicle