Police investigates Dzaleka human trafficking ring

Dowa Police Station has said it is investigating some refugees at Dzaleka Camp in Dowa on allegations that they are behind a human trafficking cartel using a mosque in the camp.

The development follows the arrest of 26 Ethiopians by Karonga Police on June 26 2017, who according to Northern Police Headquarters publicist Peter Kalaya, were later fined K20 000 each, and deported, for entering the country illegally.

Deputy director for spiritual affairs at National Police Headquarters, Sheikh Muhammad Hassan, said in an interview yesterday that in March this year, while on a fact-finding mission following squabbles between two Muslim factions at the camp, some members alleged that a fellow refugee was leading a cartel, which was using the mosque as a conduit for human trafficking.

“I was tasked to investigate the cause of the rivalry between Burundian and Somali Muslims. It was at this time that we heard allegations that some Muslims were using the mosque as a conduit for human trafficking,” said Hassan.

He said after the visit, he submitted a report to relevant authorities for further action, but was not aware how far investigations into the matter had gone. But Dowa Police Station publicist Richard Kaponda said yesterday investigations into the matter were still underway.

Minister of Home Affairs and Internal Security Grace Chiumia and her Information and Communications Technology counterpart Nicholas Dausi, recently visited Dzaleka Camp, where they warned the refugees that government would crack the whip on law breakers, including forcibly repatriating them to their native countries. n