Six Trucks Seized in Major Gold Mining Crackdown at Phoenix Prince Mine

By Staff Reporter
Police have impounded six tipper trucks loaded with suspected illegally mined gold ore during a high-impact operation at Phoenix Prince Mine, widely known as Kitsiyatota, as authorities intensify efforts to curb illicit mining.

The trucks were intercepted within Mining Lease 21 (ML21), a site increasingly linked to disputes over mining rights and allegations of unauthorised extraction.

Investigations are now underway under a theft of gold ore docket (RRB 6420180). Police are pursuing suspected syndicate leader Sicelo Mbambo, who reportedly fled moments before the raid. He is being sought alongside Stanley Kangoro as authorities expand their probe into what is believed to be a coordinated illegal mining network.

Sources indicate that Mbambo left behind six drivers and a contracted security team at the scene, all of whom are currently assisting police with ongoing investigations. Detectives are tracking his movements amid reports he had planned to travel to Zanzibar in June.

Law enforcement officials have also turned their attention to financial transactions linked to the operation. Preliminary findings suggest the existence of an illicit profit-sharing arrangement that predated recent Government efforts to formalise artisanal mining activities.

Authorities allege that illegal miners retained a portion of the extracted gold, while the remainder was distributed through intermediaries operating within the contested mining zone.

The mine falls under the jurisdiction of Freda Rebecca Gold Mine, the legally recognised holder of ML21, with oversight connected to Mutapa Gold Resources. Police believe Mbambo operated outside this legal framework, extracting and selling gold ore without authorisation.

Investigators estimate the suspected operation may have generated gold worth hundreds of thousands of US dollars, although assessments are still ongoing.

The crackdown follows heightened Government intervention after the death of a 26-year-old artisanal miner at the site earlier this week. Authorities had issued prohibition orders citing “immediate and unacceptable risks to life,” amid concerns that illegal mining activities were continuing despite warnings.

The latest operation signals a firm shift toward stricter enforcement aimed at curbing illegal mining and safeguarding national mineral resources.

By the time of publication, the Zimbabwe Republic Police in Bindura had not responded to inquiries. Police have since urged Mbambo to surrender to the nearest police station.