Harare — TWO suspected drug traffickers were early yesterday morning arrested with 500kg of mbanje worth over US$400 000 after their pick-up truck broke down at Mutoko Centre as they made their way to Harare.

It is believed the suspects intended to proceed to Harare under the cover of darkness, but their luck ran out when policemen on patrol caught the pungent smell of the drug as they cycled by and approached the vehicle.

They managed to nab two of the suspects who were distracted as they attended to a mechanical fault on their Peugeot pick-up truck, while three other suspects fled the scene.

On searching the vehicle, police found the stash of cannabis packed in ten 50kg bags.

Police have since launched a manhunt for the three suspects who got away while the two nabbed suspects -- Spencer Nyadeta and Anestito Ernest Mukumunda -- were yesterday assisting Mutoko police with investiga- tions.

They are expected to appear in court soon.

It is understood that the five suspects were driving from Mozambique via Nyamapanda and had successfully made their way from the border to Mutoko -- a distance of nearly 100km -- without being detected.

They stopped at Mutoko Centre to repair their vehicle and it is believed they intended to proceed to Harare under the cover of darkness when the roads would be clear of roadblocks.

Their luck, however, ran out when alert officers from the Cycle Patrol Unit at Mutoko smelt the mbanje as they passed by.

Deputy chief police spokesperson Chief Superintendent Oliver Mandipaka yesterday said they would continue patrols, manning roadblocks and other operations to ensure drug traffickers are brought to book.

In November last year, police arrested seven suspected members of a drug trafficking syndicate, including two Mozambican nationals, and recovered 1,4 tonnes of mbanje worth about US$1,4 million in Nyanga.

The gang was arrested after an Isuzu pick-up truck they had used to ferry the contraband punctured three tyres along the Nyamapanda-Bhinya Road in Ruwangwe.

A member of the neighbourhood watch committee who was looking for firewood chanced upon them.

They fled and abandoned the vehicle.

The following day, a constable based at the Police Internal Security Intelligence boarded a white Mazda B2200 twin-cab with the seven suspects.

While in the vehicle, he overhead them discussing how they planned to sell the contraband in Masvingo and South Africa once they repaired their car.

The constable informed his colleagues at a security roadblock near Ruwangwe Growth Point, leading to the suspects' arrest.

Police say two tonnes of mbanje recovered from traffickers are waiting to be destroyed at Nyamapanda Border Post Police Station, while Mutoko courts are in possession of 500kg as exhibits.