Tanzanian immigration authorities said on Tuesday they have arrested 74 undocumented migrants in southern parts of the east African country, mostly believed to be Ethiopians.
James Mwanjotile, head of Immigration Services for Mtwara Region, said the migrants were arrested in a joint operation with the Tanzania People’s Defense Forces.
Mwanjotile said the migrants were arrested at Msanga Mkuu near the Tanzania-Mozambique border.
“They were moving to Mozambique and later they intended to cross to South Africa,” he told a news conference in Mtwara.
The immigration officer said preliminary investigations revealed that the migrants entered Tanzania through the Kenyan coastal city of Mombasa.
Out of the 74 arrested, only 14 held valid passports but they did not use them to enter the country legally, Mwanjotile said.
They were all arraigned in the Mtwara District Court charged with entering into the country illegally, he said.
Last month, immigration authorities arrested eight Ethiopian nationals for illegal stay in Tanzania.
Edward Chogero, acting commissioner general for the Immigration Services Department, said more than 5,000 foreigners have been arrested in the first half of this year over illegal immigration. Enditem
Source: Xinhua/NewsGhana.com.gh
