Suspect flees as 50kg of marijuana found inside bus
A man suspected to have been carrying 50kg of Marijuana in luggage bags on a sprinter bus from Maun to Shakawe is still at large following a Police bust.
Acting on a tip-off, Gumare police officers pulled over a sprinter bus at a roadblock on Thursday evening, instructed passengers to vacate the bus temporarily and after searching, they discovered 50kg of marijuana in a passenger’s luggage.
The marijuana was stashed in multiple bags, packed like clothing items. The police confiscated the bags for further investigations.
The suspect escaped into the bush while other passengers passively watched the drama unfold. The suspect had even attempted to exit the scene with multiple bags, but abandoned them, as they were heavy. The police officers' chase and search for the suspect failed to bear fruit as it was dark.
One of the bus operators, Ian Mbizo from Khata's Express told The Midweek Sun that they transport passengers who use big luggage bags, but are not at liberty to search them.
'We just tag the bags without searching them, the tags make it easy for every passenger to be able to identify their bags. We do not check the contents,' he said.
Another bus operator, James Bodiego said passengers frequently accuse them of tampering with their luggage bags, so they only pack them into the bus without opening them.
Gumare police Station Commander, Superintendent Chinamo Orateng cautioned bus drivers and conductors to report every suspicious luggage bag before taking it into the bus.
Orateng said they had arrested the bus conductor to assist them with investigations, and he was later released after questioning. The Police are yet to arrest the suspect.