EIGHTY-FOUR foreign nationals appeared at the Beitbridge magistrates court yesterday charged with illegally entering the country.
The foreign nationals from Malawi, Burundi, Mozambique, Tanzania and Zambia were en-route to South Africa.
They were arrested at roadblocks mounted along the Beitbridge to Harare highway by police and immigration officials in an operation code-named "No To Illegal Immigrants".
Officer commanding Beitbridge Police District chief superintendent Tichaona Nyongo confirmed the arrests.
"These 84 were arrested on different occasions since Monday during the ongoing operation,” he said.
They were aboard the Rimbi, Trip Trans and Chiwara buses that operate along that route.
This publication understands the operation was triggered by numerous cases of human trafficking and assisted border jumping by bus operators, villagers and other unscrupulous officials.
Police documents showed the foreigners entered the country through Nyamapanda border post.
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They appeared before magistrate Vavariro Gavi charged with violating the country’s immigration laws.
They now await deportation to their respective countries.
A police document gleaned by The Standard showed the officials were convinced the foreigners were not of any security threat.
Trafficking of foreigners is a big and dangerous business in Beitbridge.
There are known individuals and kingpins of the trade who kidnap foreigners and demand ransom of as much as R80 000 per person.
Some of the foreigners come from as far afield as Somalia and Ethiopia and use Zimbabwe and Beitbridge as a transit destination.
