Undocumented Lithium Trucks Intercepted as MMCZ Tightens Export Enforcement

The Minerals Marketing Corporation of Zimbabwe (MMCZ) Inspectorate Department recorded a major enforcement breakthrough in the fourth quarter of 2025 following interception of four trucks carrying lithium concentrates without valid export documentation at Beitbridge Border Post, leading to arrests and ongoing court proceedings. According to the Inspectorate December 2025 annual report, this incident marked a defining moment in the departments’s transition from deployment and familiarisation to full-scale, intelligence-led enforcement at the country’s key mineral exit points. During the October–December 2025 period, Inspectors significantly scaled up border control operations at Beitbridge and Forbes Border Posts, intensifying verification of export documentation, reconciliation of mineral declarations against Zimbabwe Revenue Authority and clearing agent records, physical inspection of cargo and stop-and-search operations. These measures not only disrupted attempted smuggling activities but also reinforced the deterrent effect of sustained Inspector presence along high-risk export corridors. In addition to the lithium interceptions, two trucks carrying quartz without proper documentation were intercepted in December 2025 at a Beitbridge truck stop and handed over to the CID Minerals, Flora and Fauna Unit for further investigations. Collectively, these cases underscored the growing effectiveness of coordinated border surveillance and enforcement in curbing illicit mineral movements. However, Q4 operations also exposed systemic weaknesses in bulk mineral export verification, particularly relating to discrepancies between declared and actual weights for lithium and chrome exports. At Forbes Border Post, repeated variances were recorded between MMCZ invoices, ZIMRA deductions and independently verified weights, raising concerns around quota leakage and potential revenue losses. Beyond the border points, the Inspectorate sustained inland surveillance and mine audit operations despite manpower and logistical constraints. Intelligence-driven patrols, hotspot inspections, and stock reconciliations across key mineral-producing areas disrupted practices feeding smuggling networks. The Corporation is looking to address these gaps in order to sustain gains achieved in Q4 2025 and advancing MMCZ’s mandate of safeguarding national mineral revenues and promoting transparency across Zimbabwe’s mineral value chain.