Police in Mchinji decry human trafficking
Mchinji Police Station community policing coordinator Rome Chauluka has bemoaned trafficking in persons, saying the district has registered 71 cases in two years.
He expressed the sentiments on Saturday when he briefed Mchinji Trafficking in Persons Technical Working Group on the progress of the fight against human trafficking.
Said Chauluka: “In 2020 and 2021, the station rescued 266 women and children being trafficked to work in tobacco estates in Mozambique and Zambia.
“Traffickers lure victims from their families in rural areas for employment opportunities.”
However, he said they arrested some perpetrators after well-wishers tipped them off.
“We arrested 76 people, including 14 Zambians and 11 Mozambicans,” he said.
Fighting Against Exploitation of People programme manager Agnes Ntaba, whose organisation is raising awareness on human trafficking, said they offer support and protection to human trafficking victims.
“We want to fight trafficking in persons and labour exploitation through victim-centred support, quality education, health and good agricultural practices,” she said.
Mchinji District Trafficking in Persons Technical Working Group chairperson Haswell Jim called for collaboration to fight human trafficking.
“Trafficking in Person undermines human rights, as such, we should provide social services to survivors,” he said.
Fighting Against Exploitation of People is implementing a three-year programme from January 2022 to 2025 to raise awareness on human trafficking.
