By REBECCA MUSHOTA –
The Department of Immigration and police last week arrested 293 people for various immigration offences at the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA) Market and other areas in Lusaka.
Immigration public relations officer Namati Nshinka said yesterday in a statement that the department in collaboration with police undertook an operation at COMESA Market, Garden Township and at a shopping centre located in Kabangwe area on Tuesday last week in which 293 people were arrested.
Mr Nshinka said the 293 were arrested for unlawful stay in Zambia and obstructing Immigration officers from doing their work.
“Of the 293 apprehended, 222 were picked at COMESA Market for trading without permits. These included 172 Tanzanians mostly engaged in the business of hair plaiting, 11 Congolese and 65 others among them confirmed Zambians and those claiming to be Zambians.
“The confirmed Zambians were apprehended because they wilfully obstructed Immigration officers in the due execution of their duties by hiding suspected prohibited immigrants in their shops,” Mr Nshinka said.
Meanwhile, 33 Zimbabwean suspected sex-workers were apprehended in Garden Township later in the night.
Mr Nshinka said this was because they all failed to produce documentation at the time of the raid.
A Briton who was in the area was also picked up after failing to produce documentation.
Five Rwandese, three Somalis, two Malians and a Burundian were also apprehended at a shopping centre located in Kabangwe area.
These were found working in shops without immigration permits.
The 293 have been in custody undergoing screening which started on Wednesday.