Bunjiwe Mkwananzi
Rutendo Nyeve
THE Department of Immigration has intercepted 12 Somali illegal immigrants who are believed to have been en route to South Africa after illegally entering Zimbabwe through undesignated ports of entry.
Sources close to the case said the group, whose ages range from 14 to 47 years old, was intercepted at the Cinderella Railway level crossing in Hwange.
According to the sources, the Somalis entered Tanzania before illegally crossing into Zambia and ultimately Zimbabwe.
They allegedly used undesignated entry points, particularly the Zambezi gorges in Victoria Falls, to evade border checks.
After entering Zimbabwe, the group reportedly boarded an Extra City bus at Chief Mvuthu area along the Bulawayo-Victoria highway. They were intercepted at Cinderella Railway level crossing in Hwange.
“They were travelling without proper documentation, and their movement points to a well-known smuggling route,” a source said.
A source added that the immigrants were found without valid travel documents.
The interception comes as Zimbabwean authorities intensify operations against illegal migration.
Border officials have repeatedly warned that undesignated points along the Zambezi River are being used by syndicates to move undocumented migrants.
Efforts to get a comment from the police were fruitless.
More details to follow…..
