POLICE in Harare have descended on foreign currency dealers in the capital in an operation that has netted individuals connected to senior government officials.

A number of innocent people and dealers themselves have been tortured at the Harare Central police station for being found in possession of amounts of foreign currency above stipulated individual limits.

Foreign currency dealers have now taken off their number plates from their posh cars to avoid detection by the police.

However, the bosses who own the foreign currency have their personal number plates on the luxury vehicles to differentiate between them and their runners.

Several cars such as Toyota Camry’s, Mercedes Benz, BMW XR3 and Toyota Land Cruisers are now being employed in the business.

Senior political figures like Jonathan Kadzura, Christopher Chigumba's two sons, as well as Zanu PF MP David Butau have become victims of the crack down on illegal foreign currency activities in Zimbabwe.

Butau then fled to the UK where he has sought exile and pledged not to return to Zimbabwe if he is to be brought before the country’s courts.

While the official price for fuel is pegged at $75 000 a litre they were allegedly selling it at more than $3 million a litre from their service stations.

The rate for the United States dollar has varied from $1.7 million for the US greenback to about $2 million each day depending on whether one has the new or old currency at hand.

If one has old currency the rate goes down and is about $1.6 million for the US greenback while it is about $2 million if one has the new $250 000, $500 000, and $750 000 bearer cheques which came into circulation last week after much delay.

RTGS are however going for more than $4 million for the greenback but these have been banned by the RBZ with immediate effect as the dealers whom Gono promised to name and shame soon were abusing them.

Already top business executives have appeared in court for flouting the foreign currency regulations.

Meanwhile RBZ Governor, Gono has said he would name and shame all those found abusing foreign currency regulations in the country including top Zanu PF bosses such as Kadzura.

Gono said he was willing to stand before a parliamentary commission and name and shame the individuals concerned.

Mugabe has already said the governor should do so with those caught on the wrong side of the law immediately fired before the next Cabinet line up is announced after the March election in 2008.

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