Police seize tanker truck with 89 illegal migrants inside

The truck was heading to the port of Beira, in the central province of Sofala. Nine are women of the total number of immigrants, most of whom Malawian nationals.

The migrants are suspected of entering into the country through the neighbouring province of Tete. They were arrested on National Road Number Seven (EN7), at the check point in Bunga area, Guro district, in Manica.

AIM found out that the truck was intercepted after crossing the Luenha River, which is the natural border between Tete and Manica provinces.

At the check point the police carried out the usual checks. While the inspection was in progress one of the immigrants inside the tanker peeked out to try to figure out what was going on when he was spotted by the population.

The truck was already on its way when the population informed the police, who immediately chased the truck. When the driver realised he was being chased by the police he grabbed his documents and run away on foot.

The police and the immigration authorities have launched an operation to arrest the truck driver, to be held accountable for his crimes.

The EN7 is one of the most preferred route for immigrants entering Mozambique illegally through the borders of Tete province, many of them bound for South Africa.

This year alone, over a thousand illegal immigrants have been arrested by the migration authorities in Manica province.

The authorities promised to release further details about the Bunga operation on Monday.

What happened on Saturday is a recipe for disaster, to transport human beings inside a tanker track. It’s still fresh in the memory of many Mozambicans the death of 64 Ethiopian nationals, occurred two years ago, who suffocated inside a container truck that was carrying them illegally across the border between Malawi and Tete.

(AIM)