Africa-Press – Angola. Two hundred and sixty foreign citizens were detained last weekend at the border between Zaire province and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) while attempting to illegally enter national territory, as part of an operation called “Rede Fina”.
Among those detained are 259 DRC citizens of both sexes and one Mozambican citizen, the spokesperson for the Zaire Provincial Command of the National Police, Superintendent Luís Bernardo, informed this Wednesday in Mbanza Kongo.
According to the senior officer, the action was carried out by the Angolan Border Guard Police (PGFA) as part of the reinforcement of measures to combat illegal immigration and other cross-border crimes in the region.During the same operation, carried out in the border areas of the municipalities of Luvo, Cuimba, and Nóqui, 17 Angolan citizens were also detained, suspected of involvement in aiding and promoting illegal immigration.
According to the source, after legal procedures, 211 illegal immigrants were referred to the Immigration and Foreigners Service (SME), while 49 were deported to their respective countries of origin.
The 17 Angolan citizens remain detained and are expected to appear before a judge in the coming hours.
During the operation, authorities seized nine three-wheeled motorcycles, allegedly used to transport immigrants and various goods intended for smuggling.
The province of Zaire shares an extensive 213-kilometer land and river border with the Democratic Republic of Congo, considered vulnerable to the infiltration of foreigners in irregular migratory situations.
