KADOMA-(MaraviPost)-Two former Zimbabwean football stars, Abbas Amidu and Reuben Mhlanga, are facing serious legal troubles after being arrested for alleged drug trafficking.
The duo, once celebrated figures in the country’s football circles, were apprehended by the Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) on October 3rd along the Kwekwe-Kadoma highway while transporting a massive consignment of cannabis.
According to police reports, Amidu a former Caps United and Black Leopards (South Africa) striker and Mhlanga, who previously played as a defender for Dynamos FC, were found in possession of approximately 750 kilograms of cannabis with an estimated street value of US$75,000.
The drugs were reportedly concealed in sacks and hidden within a truck believed to be traveling from the country’s western border region toward Harare.
ZRP spokesperson Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi confirmed the arrests, revealing that the operation was the result of a coordinated effort between the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) Drugs and Narcotics unit and officers stationed at Kwekwe.
“Our team acted on intelligence that a large consignment of dangerous drugs was being transported through the Kwekwe-Kadoma route. Upon intercepting the vehicle, a thorough search led to the discovery of 750 kilograms of dagga,” he said.
He added that both suspects are currently in police custody and are expected to appear in court soon to face charges of possession and trafficking of dangerous drugs, offenses that carry lengthy prison sentences under Zimbabwe’s Dangerous Drugs Act.
Amidu, aged 33, is the younger brother of former Warriors and Kaizer Chiefs midfielder Khama Billiat. Once regarded as a promising talent, his football career took him across borders to Egypt and South Africa before fading out of the spotlight in recent years.
Mhlanga, on the other hand, made his name as a no-nonsense defender for Dynamos during the mid-2010s before retiring to pursue small business ventures in Harare.
Sources close to the investigation suggest that the pair might have been working with a wider network of traffickers operating between Zimbabwe and neighboring countries, using long-distance routes to smuggle drugs into urban centers.
Police are said to be pursuing additional suspects believed to be part of the operation.
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