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Freeman Razemba Crime Reporter
THE ongoing police operation to restore sanity in the Harare central business district (CBD) has netted at least 100 touts for various charges, including public nuisance and harassment of travellers.
Police arrested the touts between Thursday and Saturday last week and some have been sent to court, while others were fined.
National police spokesperson Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi confirmed the arrests, saying the operation would not stop until sanity prevailed.
“We can confirm that we have arrested at least 100 touts at areas such as Simon Muzenda Street, Copacabana, Market Square, Robert Mugabe Road and Julius Nyerere Way,” he said.
“The operation will continue and some of the suspects have since appeared in court.”
Asst Comm Nyathi said the operation was launched following complaints by members of the public that the touts were harassing them.
Other touts were publicly taking drugs and stealing from passengers.
“We would want to urge transport operators to pick-up passengers from designated pick-up points and to also desist from engaging the services of touts,” he said.
“Some of these touts have been harassing people, taking drugs while others were forcing people to board certain motor vehicles.
“The law will apply to anyone found engaging in such activities without fear or favour.”
Asst Comm Nyathi said the police had people at heart and the operation would go a long way in ensuring free movement of people without hustle.
Those arrested are taken for criminal record vetting to enable the prosecution to call for prison terms for all repeat offenders.
During the blitz, pirate taxis were not spared.
Between January and July last year, nearly 11 000 foreign currency dealers, touts and pirate taxi operators were arrested during an operation conducted countrywide.
Most notable arrests were made in Harare and Bulawayo, as the operation sought to restore sanity countrywide.
During the same period, police impounded 3 132 unregistered vehicles.
Some of the touts and foreign currency dealers that were arrested were fined, while others appeared in court on charges of contravening Exchange Control (Amendment) Regulations, 2018 (No.5), which criminalise illegally trading in foreign currency.
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