A 53-YEAR-OLD man was fined US$300 after he appeared before a Masvingo magistrate facing a charge of illegal possession of Bron Cleer cough syrup.
Bron Cleer is a prescription drug in liquid form containing alcohol and codeine.
It is commonly abused by youths who overdose it to get intoxicated.
According to the National Prosecuting Authority of Zimbabwe, on the afternoon of April 27, police were conducting an anti-smuggling operation at a roadblock at the 110km peg along the Masvingo-Beitbridge Highway when they stopped a truck being driven by the offender, who is employed by Avecs Transport.
Upon searching the truck, which was transporting six new Toyota Hilux GD-6 vehicles from Durban destined for Zambia, the officers discovered and seized 400x100ml bottles of the Bron Cleer cough syrup and 60x100ml bottles of Astra pain cough syrup concealed within three of the new vehicles.
The truck driver was arrested and the unspecified medicines with an estimated street value of US$1 500 were seized.
