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In what is considered one of the largest offensives of its type ever, the Mozambican police have arrested and deported about 7,000 individuals who were engaged in the illegal extraction of mineral resources in the province of Cabo Delgado in the last two years, Commander-in-Chief Bernardino Rafael announced at the end of a visit to Montepuez Ruby Mining yesterday.
Citizens of Tanzania, Comoros, Senegal, Gambia, Ethiopia, Kenya, Malawi and Mali were among the prospectors in the administrative post of Nhamanhumbir who caused the population to cease practicing agriculture, because the illegal visitors stole all their production.
The presence of illegal immigrants also led to an increase in robberies, the illegal trade in various products and an international network of prostitution.
With the expulsion, the population has returned to practicing agriculture and other activities that they had abandoned because of the presence of this miners. Police said they would prevent any return.
Another result of the expulsion of the miners was that legitimate mining companies increased their production areas. There was also a reduction in crime rates, and children re-enrolled in schools, many of them having previously left to take up mining.
“The campaign to combat prospectors will continue, so as to allow licensed companies to work without interference and contribute more to the payment of taxes The permanent police presence will prevent any recurrence of these crimes,” Bernardino Rafael explained.
In the last two years, 46 deaths were caused by landslides during illegal mining activities. In the same period more than 600 police raids were carried out and more than 33,000 pieces of equipment used by prospectors seized.
The PRM commander-in-chief’s tour of the northern provinces moved on to Nampula yesterday, having so far encompassed Cabo Delgado and Niassa.
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