161122E – TRIO ARRESTED FOR ILLEGAL POSSESSION OF EXPLOSIVES IN MANICA
Maputo, 04 Nov (AIM) – The Mozambican Police (PRM) on Wednesday arrested three people in the outskirts of the town of Chimoio, capital of the central province of Manica, for illegal possession of 260 kilos of explosives, detonators, 250 metres of detonator wire and 500 grams of cannabis.
The explosives, which they brought into Mozambique from Zimbabwe, were intended for artisanal mining in the administrative post of Chitima, western province of Tete. They added that the material was intended to facilitate mining operations.
The accused, one Mozambican and two Zimbabwean nationals said they did not know that the material, was prohibited and illegal, which is why they travelled without any license.
However, the head of PRM Public Relations Department in Manica, Mário Arnaça, said that it is a felony the simple fact of transporting explosives without a permit.
Thus, the Zimbabwean nationals will be charged for possession of prohibited weapons, drug use and illegal immigration as they were undocumented at the time of their arrest.
Arnaça stressed, however, that this case has no connection to terrorism.
A similar case occurred in June this year when Mozambican customs seized 150 kilograms of explosives and detonators on the border of Machipanda, Manica province.
At the time, the authorities arrested three citizens, also two Zimbabwean nationals and one Mozambican.
The Zimbabweans were military personel, while the Mozambican national, who appeared to be the owner of the explosives, was a civilian.
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