Itai Ndongwe
HARARE – The Tobacco Industry and Marketing Board (TIMB) has uncovered and dismantled sophisticated corruption and collusion syndicates operating within the tobacco marketing system in a bold move to safeguard the integrity of Zimbabwe’s tobacco industry.
TIMB’s Inspectorate Unit made two significant busts within 48 hours during routine surveillance at the TSF Auction Floors. These operations aimed to combat illicit activities that threaten fair market practices and exploit tobacco farmers.
In the first instance, a team of four was caught running a scheme to manipulate bale rejections, switch tobacco bales, and alter prices. The syndicate consisted of insiders within the auction floor and external collaborators who would solicit bribes from farmers in exchange for favourable auction results.
Investigations revealed that a farmer was solicited for a bribe to ensure his tobacco bales weren’t rejected. After paying, the money was split between a merchant’s checker and an outside trader who would buy the manipulated bales at a discounted price. This coordinated scheme aimed to undermine the marketing process.
The four syndicate members were arrested on the spot and are set to face court proceedings. The case has been registered with the Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) under CR 76/04/25, and law enforcement is conducting further investigations.
A second arrest was made by TIMB’s watchdog team at the auction floor, where an individual was caught impersonating a buyer from a reputable tobacco company. Using an outdated ID tag, the impersonator targeted farmers, threatening to reject their tobacco unless they paid bribes.
One farmer, who had delivered 15 bales, was asked to pay $10 per bale to avoid rejection and secure a good price. After paying $20, TIMB’s Inspectorate team swiftly intervened, arresting the suspect and recovering the bribe money. The case is now under police investigation (ZRP Southerton CR 82/04/25).
TIMB has reiterated its zero-tolerance stance on corruption and urged all players in the tobacco value chain to report suspicious or unethical behaviour. “We are determined to uphold transparency, fairness and integrity in the tobacco marketing system through vigilant enforcement by our Inspectorate Unit. The industry must be protected from those who seek to exploit farmers and compromise the integrity of our systems,” said TIMB Acting CEO, Emmanuel Matsvaire.
“Farmers and stakeholders are encouraged to stay vigilant and report any illegal activities to TIMB or law enforcement officials” Matsvaire added.
These recent arrests mark a significant victory in TIMB’s ongoing campaign to clean up the sector and build a more accountable, grower-friendly marketing environment.
