Harare — AT least 33 senior company executives spent the weekend in police cells for paying lip service to the Government directive to slash prices.

The directors are expected to appear in court today while another 1 328 shop owners, managers, sales representatives and companies had been fined for flouting price controls.

Yesterday police said they had acquired enough resources to sustain the crackdown on errant businesspeople and companies until the price madness was tamed.

Police spokesperson Chief Superintendent Oliver Mandipaka said dockets for the 33 managers who were arrested throughout the country since Friday were now complete.

"We are also hunting for others who fled from their companies. We have enough resources to last the distance. We have the manpower and the resources to stretch as far as it takes us until sanity prevails.

"We expect that the courts will complement the crack unit's efforts by meting appropriate punishment on these people," he said.

Among the 1 328, Chief Supt Mandipaka said, most had already appeared in court where they paid fines ranging between $70 million and $100 million and risked seven days' imprisonment if they failed to pay.

Bulawayo recorded the highest number of arrests with 414 while Matabeleland North -- with 15 -- had the lowest. Masvingo had 392 arrests, Manicaland 126, Midlands 122, Mashonaland East 99, Harare 88, Matabeleland South 52, Mashonaland West 25 and Mashonaland Central 20.

Chief Supt Mandipaka said police in Mukumbura had recovered 47 cartons of brown sugar hidden in different parts of Tiyago Store.

Of the 47 cartons, 15 were stashed in a warehouse, 21 in a vehicle while 11 others were hidden at the staff cottages.

A businessman, Guma Chimombe, was arrested in transit to Madziva communal lands, with a tonne of sugar.

In Mashonaland West Province, a butchery operator, Benson Tambadza, fled the premises after police raided the complex. Police recovered and confiscated 490 bags of cement hidden in the butchery.

In Bulawayo, police arrested a general manager with Jaggers, a director of Buchu Butchery, the operations manager of Power Sales and group financial director for Edgars and Express Stores.

In Harare, the long arm of the law caught up with the general manager of Colcom Foods in Workington industrial area, general manager of A and K Fisheries along Leopold Takawira Street, director of Italian Bakery, manager for Blue Ridge Spar, along Harare-Mutoko Road, general manager for Here's Health Pharmacy, general manager for Little Harrods (an upmarket clothing shop) and the director of St Elmo's Restaurant. Chief Supt Mandipaka said police had observed that some businesses were complying with the directive during police presence but resorted to the inflated prices as soon as they had left.

"We urge consumers to report such cases, using our police hotlines," he said.

He also warned the public to desist from panic buying and hoarding basic commodities as this was likely to fuel artificial shortages

Chief Supt Mandipaka said police had also targeted car dealers who were selling cars in foreign currency. "This is illegal and police will not spare them.

"We will sustain this operation at all costs to make sure at the end of it there is sanity in the business sector," he said.

He warned commuter omnibus operators against overcharging saying the police would arrest and detain culprits. Last Friday, 17 managers were arrested for failing to display price tags, as the crackdown on errant businesspeople intensified.

Investigations also revealed that some directors and managers in Harare and Bulawayo had gone into hiding while others had deliberately gone on leave in a bid to resist the Government directive.

In Harare, police arrested four directors and six sales managers while in Bulawayo Meikles Stores general manager Robert Slater and six directors of service stations were arrested for overcharging and failing to display prices.