PRESS STATEMENT BY THE INSPECTOR GENERAL OF POLICE ON THE USALAMA VIII JOINT OPERATION CONDUCTED FROM 19TH TO 21st SEPTEMBER, 2022 IN LUSAKA AND COPPERBELT PROVINCES OF ZAMBIA

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PRESS STATEMENT BY THE INSPECTOR GENERAL OF POLICE, MR. LEMMY KAJOBA, ON THE USALAMA VIII JOINT OPERATION CONDUCTED FROM 19TH TO 21st SEPTEMBER, 2022 IN LUSAKA AND COPPERBELT PROVINCES OF ZAMBIA

I wish to inform the nation that the Zambia Police Service in conjunction with other Law Enforcement Agencies conducted a Joint Operation dubbed ‘Operation Usalama VIII’ from 19th to 21st September, 2022 in Lusaka and Copperbelt Provinces respectively.
The other security wings involved in this massive operation include:

  1. Department of Immigration
  2. Drug Enforcement Commission
  3. Road Transport and Safety Agency
  4. Cycorp Limited
  5. Forestry Department
  6. Zambia Revenue Authority
    You may wish to know that the ‘Operation USALAMA VIII’ series began in 2013 as a result of a resolution made by the Police Chiefs from Southern and Eastern Africa regions to tackle security threats posed by Transnational Organized Crime (TOC) and the need for enhanced regional cooperation in addressing them.
    This operation is done in all SADC member states affiliated with Interpol and it is done simultaneously.
    This joint operation targeted suspected Human Traffickers, Drug Traffickers, Illegal Car Dealers, suspected Gangs and crime prone areas, amongst others.
    The operation resulted in the Seizure and arrest of the following:
  7. ILLEGAL TRADING IN CHARCOAL
    On 19th September, 2022, Six trucks were seized along Mwembenshi Road Western Route of Lusaka loaded with 50 kg bags of charcoal without a forest permit. Five (5) suspects were arrested while one (1) ran away.
  8. STOLEN MOTOR VEHICLES
    A total of Seven suspected stolen Motor Vehicles were recovered during the operation and impounded after a search on the INTERPOL Database revealed that the vehicles were reported stolen in South Africa.
    These Include:
    a. A LAND ROVER VIN: SALLAAAF5GA781587, Engine: 0955956306DT and Registration number DY22Y DGP, driven by M/ Richard Kangwa.
    b. A FORD RANGER bearing VIN: AFAPXXMJ2PEM04385, Engine: SA2KPEM04385 and Registration number DD77SJGP.
    c. FORD RANGER bearing VIN: AFAPXXMJ2PFT11593, Engine: SA2KPFT11593 and Registration number HS76SR GP.
    d. TOYOTA FORTUNER bearing VIN: AHTJA3GS700241230, Engine: 1GD5039390 and Registration number BCE 3525 driven by M/Kassim Kashiba aged 21 of H/No. 166 Zebra Street Nkana East, Kitwe.
    e. TOYOTA HILUX bearing VIN: AHTGA3DD400978966, Engine: 1GD0808789 and Registration number BCE 4654 driven by M/ Francis Mangani aged of Kitwe.
    f. TOYOTA HILUX bearing VIN: AHTEZ39G10702736, Engine: 1KD5753701 and Registration number ALM 2777, was identified in Kitwe at Shimumbi’s garage in Kitwe.
    g. RANGE ROVERS bearing VIN: SALLMAME3AA324742, Engine: unregistered, was identified in Kitwe at Shimumbi’s garage in Kitwe.
  9. UNLAWFUL POSSESSION OF EXPLOSIVE MATERIAL
    On 19th September, 2022, F/Purity Tembo aged 26 years was arrested on her way from Luangwa to Lusaka for being found in possession of explosives.
  10. UNLAWFUL POSSESSION OF COPPER ORE
    On 19th September, 2022, a Volvo Truck Registration number AJE 930 carrying 10 tons of Copper Ore was intercepted from Luangwa and M/Mwale Chikumbuso aged 43 of plot 1445 Matero was arrested. The suspect revealed that the owner of the contraband was Joseph Banda aged 44 of Lukanga, Kabwe.
  11. ILLEGAL LOGGING
    On 19th September, 2022, a Fuso Truck Registration number BCD 1630 loaded with 193 pieces of Rose Wood timber was intercepted on its way to Lusaka from Western Province. One suspect namely M/Daniel Daka was arrested.
  12. GAME MEAT
    On 21st September, 2022 F/Petronela Namoomba was arrested with 18 pieces of Assorted Game Meat aboard a Toyota Regius Registration number BAF 2270.
  13. PANGOLINS
    On 20th September, 2022, Four Zambians namely M/Peter Malichi Moyo, M/Chimunya Chilopya, M/Reagan Chimbabwa and M/John Munyama were arrested for being in possession of two dead Pangolins in Lusaka Province, concealed in a black suitcase.
  14. DRUGS
    On 21st September, 2022, a joint operation team seized 405 bottles of Codeine, 1kg high-grade Cannabis and 4 bundles of Miraa estimated at K80,000 , K15,000, and K975 in Lusaka and Copperbelt Provinces respectively.
  15. ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES
    On 20th September, 2022, the joint operation team in Lusaka seized 43 bottles of assorted Alcoholic Beverages from a named Chinese shop in Lusaka packed in 23 different cases.
  16. SEIZURE OF CIGARETTES
    On 21st September, 2022, a joint operation team seized 256 x 10 blocks of Cigarettes called “Buzzozo” with an estimated value of K35, 000 from M/Joseph Phiri in Lusaka for tax evasion.
  17. PROHIBITED IMMIGRANTS
    A total of 67 Illegal Immigrants were apprehended during the operation and have since been detained whose breakdown is as follows: 27 Tanzanians, 8 Congolese, 5 Burundians, 3 Malawians, 4 Zimbabweans, One Somalian and 18 others whose nationalities are yet to be established.

Brief details are that on 19th September, 2022, M/Abdikariim Mohamed aged 29 of H/No. 5441 Itawa in Ndola was arrested driving a Volvo truck Registration number BCC 5441 from Biella-Mozambique to Zambia without proper documentation.
On the same day, M/Patrick Pombe, a Congolese national aged 18 and refugee from Mayukwayukwa was arrested on his way to Petauke aboard a Marco polo Bus.
On the Copperbelt, the joint investigations team intercepted two Somalians and two Chinese nationals who had no proper documentations.
On 19th September, 2022, one Malawian national named F/Doreen Phiri aged 26 of Muchinji in Malawi was intercepted in Luangwa aboard a Marcopolo bus destined to Lusaka with two female children namely Hope Phiri aged Seven and Happiness Phiri, aged two.
In a related development, on 19th September, 2022, Sixteen (16) Prohibited Immigrants were intercepted at Kabanana Check Point along Chirundu Road in Lusaka.
Other two illegal immigrants intercepted on 20th September, 2022, include M/Kenne Chiyamuzore, Zimbabwean aged 28 years, arrested in Siavonga District and M/January Llatukunda, Congolese aged 27, arrested at Landless Corner;
These are amongst other Illegal Immigrants originating from different countries that have been apprehended and detained.
BELOW IS THE SUMMARY:
Motor vehicle searches conducted; 85
Stolen Motor vehicles Recovered; 7
Arrests made for Theft of motor vehicles; 6
Arrests made for Drugs offences; 4
Arrests made for Wildlife related offences; 11
Arrests made for mineral offences; 1
Arrests made for being in possession of explosive material; 1
Arrests made for Tax Evasion; 1
Illegal Immigrants; 67
Total Number of People Arrested for various offences: 92
I wish to warn that as Law Enforcement Agencies, we are more than ready to meet squarely and deal sternly with all perpetrators of transnational organized crimes such as Human Trafficking, Drug Trafficking, Motor Vehicle Thefts, suspected Gangs and indeed all form of crimes in the region.
Lemmy Kajoba
INSPECTOR GENERAL OF POLICE
22nd September, 2022

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