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Police arrest 300 aliens
By
Joseph Langa - 19-08-2002 |
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At least 300 foreigners were arrested in Lilongwe Friday during a police operation to hunt for illegal immigrants notably Burundians and Congolese who came in the country as asylum seekers.
The foreigners, including Nigerians and Asians are suspected to be behind the growing number of motor vehicle thefts in the capital city and the establishment of illegal businesses in the city’s townships.
Eight cars were reported stolen between Wednesday and Thursday last week alone, forcing the police to mount road-blocks in the city on Friday where the foreigners were arrested for questioning.
A police source said in an interview Saturday that the operation was conducted in the whole Lilongwe urban targeting Burundians, Asians, Nigerians and Congolese who are believed to be wreaking havoc in the city.
He said over 300 foreigners were arrested during the operation and are in police custody awaiting screening by immigration officers, saying current reports indicate that most car thefts in the city are masterminded by foreigners.
“Over 300 were picked for questioning by the immigration officers. They are still at Lilongwe police station waiting for the officers from the immigration to come,” said the source.
Davie Chingwalu of Police Public Relations Office said the police had an operation on Friday where some foreigners were arrested but disclosed that it was a normal security check.
But Chingwalu could not be drawn to disclose the total number of people arrested during the operation.
Said Chingwalu: “That information cannot be released now because the operation is still going on. Even the action we are taking on the matter cannot be revealed now”.
Chief immigration officer David Kambilonje said some foreigners were arrested and confirmed that the department has sent some officers to question the foreigners on request from the police.
“We have been told to go there (Police) and question them. We haven’t come up with a report yet.
Kambilonje expressed ignorance on why the operation was conducted and the total number of suspects arrested.
But he said the Immigration Department is aware about the existence of petty and illegal businesses operated by foreigners only that the department is failing to take action because the businesses are registered by Malawians.
“Those shops, if you go there and find out, are not registered in the name of foreigners at all,” said Kambilonje. |
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