MANZINI – The Umbutfo Eswatini Defence Force (UEDF) has raised the alarm over increasing criminal activity along the country’s borderlines after soldiers recorded three separate smuggling incidents in a single night.
The incidents took place on Wednesday evening, with the first case reported at Dwalile, where UEDF troops arrested a 52-year-old woman from the area and a 42-year-old man from Msidame. They were caught with three goats suspected to have been stolen, and intended for smuggling across to neighbouring South Africa. The suspects were later handed over to the police, along with the animals.
Later that night, in the same vicinity, soldiers intercepted plastic bags filled with dagga. The suspects abandoned the drugs and fled when they saw the patrol approaching. The exact value of the confiscated dagga remains unknown.
The final incident of the night occurred at Ndvungunye, where soldiers on patrol stopped a white Isuzu van with Eswatini registration plates. The vehicle was being driven by a 28-year-old man from Salem, accompanied by a 29-year-old man. They were found with dagga in their possession. The quantity and street value of the drug are still being assessed. Both suspects, along with the contraband, were handed over to the police.
Lieutenant Tengetile Khumalo, the army’s Public Affairs Officer, said livestock theft and dagga smuggling are now pressing concerns, not only for the military but for the general public.
Army Commander General Hulumente Mashikilisana Fakudze, through a statement delivered by Khumalo, expressed concern over the rise in criminal activity along Eswatini’s borders. He cautioned the public to refrain from supporting such crimes and praised the Defence Force personnel for their vigilance and service in protecting the country’s borders.
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