The Immigration Department in conjunction with the Zambia Police, Drug Enforcement Commission, and the National Anti-Terrorism Centre yesterday jointly conducted a clean-up operation in various parts of Lusaka and detained 283 suspected illegal immigrants of different nationalities.
Initially, 357 individuals were apprehended. They included 207 Burundians, 61 alleged Zambian citizens, 53 Congolese, 10 Rwandese, six Tanzanians, and four Malawians. There were also two Eritreans, two Indians, two Zimbabweans, one Egyptian, one Lebanese and one Pakistani.
After the preliminary screening conducted at Edwin Imboela Stadium, 68 persons, the majority of them Zambians, were released unconditionally, while six were requested to report to the Immigration Offices for further formalities.
Two Zambians were arrested for drug-related offenses and handed over to the Drug Enforcement Commission.
Immigration Public Relations Officer Namati Nshinka said in the course of the operation, which began at 05:00 hours, 40 bicycles were abandoned by their owners who fled upon seeing the law enforcement officers.
Nshinka thanked members of the public for their cooperation during the incident-free operation, which he described as successful.
“The Department also wishes to thank all law enforcement agencies that took part in the operation for their continued collaboration and immense support in assisting the Immigration [Department] to rid the country of illegal immigrants,” he said.