A 33-year-old woman from Ingezi, Kadoma, who was found in possession of 6.2kg of dagga, has been jailed for an effective two and half years as authorities continue to crack the whip on those smuggling illegal drugs between South Africa and Zimbabwe.

Sphelile Kufa was convicted on her own plea of guilty when she appeared before Beitbridge resident magistrate, Mr Takudzwa Gwazemba on Tuesday.

The drugs, valued at US$626, were forfeited to the State.

Prosecuting, Ms Tinayeishe Matenga said on March 3, police detectives received a tip-off that Kufa had smuggled marijuana into Zimbabwe.

The detectives tracked Kufa to Masvingo turn-off, where she was looking for transport to take her to Kadoma.

When they searched her luggage, the police detectives discovered three wrapped packets of dagga (marijuana), leading to her arrest.

Meanwhile, the police are still pursuing the driver of a South African commercial truck who fled on Sunday after the discovery of 163kg of dagga he had smuggled into Zimbabwe.

The smuggling of dagga from South Africa via Beitbridge Border Post has increased over the last few weeks, thereby forcing border authorities to tighten screws on the movement of cargo and travellers to weed out drug peddlers.