13 Ethiopians arrested for entering the country illegally

POLICE in Victoria Falls are investigating a case of possible human trafficking after 13 Ethiopians were arrested at a house in the city where they were hiding after illegally entering the country.

The 13 East Africans allegedly entered the country through an undersigned entry point from Zambia.

It is suspected that the illegal immigrants were helped by some locals as they were found at a house where they had been offered a hideout by the occupants.

Police acted on a tip-off after some responsible community member suspected that there were some foreigners at the house and upon visiting the place, police found the foreigners without travel documents.

The illegal immigrants, all men, range between late 20s to early 40s in age.

It is not the first time as police have in the past swooped on some illegal immigrants who use undesignated entry points and some have appeared in court and sent back to their respective countries.

There are some known Victoria Falls residents and transport operators who are known to specialise in transporting illegal immigrants between Victoria Falls where they are aided by locals, and Bulawayo where they reportedly hand them over to accomplice transporters to take them to South Africa.

Police spokesperson for Matabeleland North Inspector Glory Banda could not readily comment on the issue as he was out of office yesterday.

However, sources closer to the goings-on said the illegal immigrants are expected to appear in court for illegally entering the country through evasion.