In a dramatic interception that has sent shockwaves through Zimbabwe’s mining sector, Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) officers at Forbes Border Post have foiled an audacious lithium smuggling attempt, arresting a suspect on the spot after he allegedly offered a US$1,500 bribe to secure passage for three haulage trucks laden with lithium concentrate bound for Mozambique, Mining Zimbabwe can report.
By Rudairo Mapuranga
The incident, recorded under case reference Mutare Central CR 107/26, represents one of the most brazen attempts to flout the government’s raw mineral export ban since its enforcement in February 2026.
According to an official sworn statement by Constable Dumby Samuel, the accused, Brian Sekombe, allegedly approached Assistant Inspector Chiniva and offered a bundle of US$100 notes, totalling US$1,500, in exchange for free passage of the trucks through the border post.
Police officers immediately took action, counting the cash, recording the serial numbers for evidence, and placing Sekombe under arrest.
“The accused person handed over the money and was informed he was under arrest for bribery,” Constable Samuel stated in his sworn deposition.
The suspect now faces prosecution under Zimbabwe’s anti-corruption laws, with authorities treating the case as a warning to would-be smugglers attempting to circumvent the country’s beneficiation drive.
The three trucks intercepted at the border are operated by Sadie Motors, a Zimbabwean transport and haulage company that contracts with various mining and logistics firms across the region.
While Sadie Motors’ specific contracting arrangements remain subject to ongoing investigations, the company’s involvement points to the growing complexity of smuggling networks operating along Zimbabwe’s eastern border. Sources indicate the trucks were contracted to ferry the lithium concentrate to designated recipients in Mozambique, highlighting how transport operators have become unwitting or, in some cases, complicit participants in the illicit mineral trade.
Mining Zimbabwe understands that investigators are now probing the contracting chain to determine who commissioned the haulage and whether Sadie Motors was knowingly involved in the smuggling operation or was contracted under false pretences.
This mirrors similar cases in which transporters have been deceived by fraudulent documentation. In a separate incident, Mugwazi Transport Company lost a US$30,000 truck after a foreign national falsely claimed he was transporting chrome but instead loaded lithium quartz.
Authorities Tighten Grip
The seizure comes as border enforcement at strategic posts such as Forbes has been significantly ramped up following the government’s ban on raw lithium exports, part of broader efforts to curb illicit mineral outflows and promote domestic beneficiation.
Recent data underscores why Zimbabwe is taking such a hard line. In the first quarter of 2026 alone, lithium exports generated US$178.6 million, a staggering 106% increase in value with virtually no volume growth, proving that beneficiation, not raw extraction, is the path to prosperity.
The government has since classified 14 minerals as “critical” and banned the export of all raw or unbeneficiated forms, with mandatory state shareholding through Special Purpose Vehicles now enshrined in law.
Mines and Mining Development Minister Dr. Polite Kambamura has been unequivocal: “The era of shipping raw rock for marginal returns is over.”
A Pattern of Smuggling at Forbes
The Sadie Motors interception is not an isolated incident. Forbes Border Post has emerged as a primary corridor for lithium smuggling syndicates.
In July 2026, the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (ZACC) and ZIMRA uncovered an alleged smuggling syndicate involving a Harare businesswoman who conspired with a clearing agent and a foreign national to illegally export lithium ore through Forbes. The syndicate had allegedly cloned an expired export permit from Bikita Minerals to facilitate the smuggling of approximately 204 tonnes of lithium ore valued at US$100,000.
Additionally, two foreign nationals appeared in court in June 2026 accused of smuggling thousands of tonnes of minerals, including lithium, chrome, and copper, through Forbes by falsifying declarations and conniving with officials.
