Africa-Press – Angola. Eleven citizens of Bangladesh and Pakistan, coming from Dubai and heading to South Africa, have been detained since Sunday (31 March) in the province of Cunene, on suspicion of human trafficking.
The fact was made public this Tuesday, in the region, by the SIC spokesperson in Cunene, inspector Beloune Carlos, referring to it being a case of organized crime in which 16 foreign citizens, recruited by citizens of the same nationality, are victims. resident of Dubai, over protest of employing them in South Africa.
He said that the victims arrived in the country on March 24th, through the 4 de Fevereiro international airport, in Luanda, with tourist visas and, by land, intended to reach Namibia.
Along this path, he clarified that a reception committee was set up in Luanda and another in Cunene, made up of national citizens who facilitate the journey from the capital to Ondjiva and Santa Clara, hosting them in different hotel units.
After this process, through a “fiote” route, they intended to cross to the Republic of Namibia, a country into which five of these citizens ended up entering, assisted by Angolans, detained under the mandate of the Public Prosecutor’s Office (MP).
He made it known that, of those detained on charges of the crime of illicit smuggling of migrants, one is a public servant assigned to the Delegation of Justice in Cunene, and that they will be presented to the guarantee judge to determine the measure of coercion.
The inspector explained that as a result of police intelligence work, search and collection of information, they were able to determine the fact and through cooperation work between the two countries, the five victims were also collected, who ended up crossing the border, who are now found in the cells of Ongwediva (Oshana region), for illegal migration.
As for foreigners, he stated that they are under protection so that, subsequently, and in coordination with the migration authorities, they can be sent to Luanda, in order to return to their country of origin.
He also made it known that the work is being carried out in coordination with the embassy in South Africa, Interpol and Foreign Migration Services (SME), in order to carry out an in-depth investigation with the aim of preventing the occurrence of these crimes.
He also highlighted the intensification of patrolling along the border by the Border Guard Police, in order to prevent other citizens from entering Namibia.
For his part, the Justice delegate and coordinator of the provincial Human Rights Committee in Cunene, Aldovino Mwafelwa, characterized the fact as evidence of human trafficking, highlighting the importance of protecting victims, in contexts like these, and holding those accountable. alleged authors.
He said that these are young people who move from their country without the minimum conditions for subsistence, a fact that requires food and accommodation assistance actions, while mechanisms for returning to their countries of origin are being implemented.
Aldovino Mwafelwa stated that cases of this kind are common, with Cunene leading the list at the top of provinces with the most cases of human trafficking, as it is a cross-border region with access to countries such as Namibia, South Africa and Botswana.
Without specifying data, he said that the trend was decreasing, but the phenomenon has resurfaced on a different scale than normal, a fact that requires criminal and judicial responsibility for alleged traffickers.
The province of Cunene shares 460 kilometers of border with the Republic of Namibia, 340 of which are land and 120 are river.
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