ZRP has intensified its festive season crackdown on illegal liquor operations and smuggling activities, warning offenders that the law will be applied without leniency. Commissioner-General Stephen Mutamba announced the heightened enforcement measures as he rolled out the force’s seasonal security plan, emphasising that unlicensed alcohol sales and the movement of illicit goods pose a growing threat to public safety.
Mutamba said police would be targeting liquor outlets that operate outside their licensed hours, stressing that such businesses fuel disorder, drunk driving and violent crime. He noted that officers will carry out frequent inspections and raids to ensure compliance, while also monitoring the distribution of illegal substances across both urban and rural areas. “Transporters must declare all goods at official ports of entry and exit, as the law will be strictly enforced,” he said, underscoring the force’s renewed focus on curbing smuggling networks during the busy holiday period.
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The crackdown forms part of a broader festive season operation that includes the deployment of new National Highway Patrol vehicles equipped with body cameras. The five Ford Ranger units unveiled this week will support roadblocks, traffic blitzes and stop-and-search operations across the country. Mutamba urged motorists to use the patrol teams to report suspicious activity, including officers soliciting bribes, as he reinforced the message that corruption will not be tolerated. He warned motorists against paying bribes, saying those who do become part of the crime.
In Harare, Officer Commanding Harare Province Maxwell Chikunguru said "passengers, transport operators and associations must work together to combat speeding, drunk driving and other dangerous behaviours that often surge during the festive period".
City Council public safety department manager Obey Moyo also urged residents and kombi operators to prioritise safe conduct, adding that municipal police and the ZRP will maintain a strong presence on major routes to monitor offenders.
"Our police will together with the ZRP will be on the roads keeping watch of offenders,"
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