Africa-Press – Angola. The Criminal Investigation Service (SIC) in Lunda Norte prevented the attempted smuggling of 2,850 liters of fuel, whose destination for sale was the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
In recent years, the province of Lunda Norte has recorded a high rate of fuel smuggling, a fact that has motivated defense and security bodies to develop permanent micro-operations, with a view to combating this phenomenon, the trafficking of minors, diamonds and illegal immigration.
According to the spokesperson for the National Police in Lunda Norte, Domingos Muanafumo, the operation took place at one of the province’s border posts and the seized fuel was handed over to the General Tax Administration (AGT), as trustworthy custodian.
He reported that during the operation, 14 diamond stones of different carats and means used for the illicit exploitation of the mineral were seized, handed over to the ‘Operation Transparency’ Registration Committee, based in Malanje.
In 2018, the Angolan State launched a program to combat illicit diamond exploration and trafficking, called “Operation Transparency”, which aims to combat mining hotspots in diamond regions.
During the operation, he continued, it was also possible to stop the attempted illegal entry of 674 citizens of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), into the national territory, accompanied by 97 children, at the border posts of Caungula, Lóvua, Chitato and Cuango.
He said that the immigrants tried to use “fiote” (unguarded) paths, an intention that was frustrated by motorized patrolling.
He made it known that the immigrants intended to settle in diamond exploration areas and reach the country’s capital, Luanda.
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