Harare — A Mozambican businessman was on Monday arrested at the Harare International Airport while allegedly trying to smuggle over US$1,5 million in cash to Dubai.

Vayani Abdul Rachid (42) was arrested after police became suspicious of his movements and the contents of his bags were scanned.

Rachid appeared before Harare magistrate Mr Kudakwashe Jarabini yesterday facing charges of contravening Section 173 (1) (b) of the Customs and Excise Act Chapter 23:03.

The Act makes it clear that people entering or leaving the country should not make false statements to authorities manning entry and exit points.

Zimbabweans are allowed to take a maximum of US$10 000 in cash out of the country.

However, Rachid as a foreigner in transit is being charged only for the failure to declare how much money he was coming in and exiting the country with.

Mr Jarabini remanded him out of custody to November 4 on US$300 bail.

He was also ordered to surrender his passport, to report everyday at Milton Park Police Station and not to travel beyond a radius of over 25km from his residence in Josiah Chinamano Avenue, Harare.

Prosecutor Ms Fadzai Kuipa is alleging that on October 19 Rachid checked in for a Dubai flight at the Harare International Airport customs desk.

Maria Chitate, who was at the desk, reportedly asked him if he had anything to declare and Rachid allegedly said he did not, and was in transit from Mozambique.

The official, the State says, consequently allowed him to proceed with the check-in process.

Police officers at the airport, identified as Constable Ziwewe and Sergeant Mushinge, however, became suspicious of Rachid's movements and asked to search his luggage.

The two officers discovered US$1 557 520 in his bags and asked him whether he had declared the money.

Rachid allegedly told the policemen that he had already declared the money at Forbes Border Post but showed them a declaration form reflecting US$163 000 only.

He was then taken to the customs desk where it was discovered that he had not declared the money at Harare International Airport.

The money was seized and counted by Zimbabwe Revenue Authority officials.

Rachid was arrested and taken to the ZRP station at the airport for further questioning.

Meanwhile, Mozambican police last week arrested a Zimbabwean woman at Machipanda Border Post in Manica Province for possessing 10 grams of cocaine.

Police spokesperson Pedro Cossa told reporters in Maputo on Tuesday that the 29-year-old woman, whose name was not revealed, was caught on Tuesday last week while trying to cross the border between Mozambique and Zimbabwe.

"She had 10 grams of cocaine in her private parts," said Cossa, addressing a Press briefing on the crime situation in the country during the past week.

He added that police were currently investigating the case to obtain more information.

Another report by Portuguese news agency, Lusa, cited public relations officials in the Manica Provincial Police Command saying two Zimbabweans -- 29-year-old Precious Lessiva and her 37-year-old brother Godfrey -- had been arrested and 20 grams of cocaine had been seized.

The report said the two told police they were not drug traffickers but were cocaine users.