Police commander speaks out against corruption at Maputo Airport

Login

Register

http://www.clubofmozambique.com/

Police commander speaks out against corruption at Maputo Airport

2:57 CAT | 11 Sep 2019

File photo: Notícias

The Commander General of the Police of the Republic of Mozambique (PRM), Bernardino Rafael, yesterday openly spoke out against corruption at Maputo International Airport, characterised by baggage theft, illegal entry of immigrants and trafficking in banned wildlife products, among other evils.

Bernardino Rafael expressed his displeasure during the graduation of PRM agents assigned to the 11th police station, which is responsible for controlling the movement of domestic and foreign passengers at Maputo International Airport.

“Our heritage is serving as a gateway for strange people, even illegal immigrants. The people charge that you are allowing banned products to be handled here, and drugs, and that you still allow the exit of derivatives of our protected animals to pass through this airport,” the PRM commander complained.

In the case of illegal immigrants entering the country, most arrive in transit to neighbouring South Africa.

Bernardino Rafael was therefore setting a deadline of 15 days for the various branches of the PRM assigned to the airport to draw up a plan to eradicate the ills endemic to it.

“We receive complaints every day. These are problems of illegal immigrants, problems with the circulation of drugs, and cleaning people who have access to forbidden places,” he said, deploring the fact that the border of the International Airport serves as a venue for illegal passengers, in some cases in possession. of objects which threaten the security of the country.

“You have forgotten that the airport is a border, you have forgotten your mission,” the commander alleged, adding that the police authorities had been instructed to tighten border control in the run-up to the October 15 elections.

Unfortunately, Rafel said, this is far from happening at Maputo International Airport.

“Aren’t you ashamed?” he asked, saying that police at the airport had turned it into a “a dumba nengue” (‘informal market’, in the local language).

Commander General Bernardino Rafael also took the opportunity to launch another appeal to Mozambicans not to resort to retaliatory attacks on foreign citizens in response to xenophobic violence in neighbouring South Africa.

Source: Noticias