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362 aliens arrested in Coast Region
2008-05-15 09:39:15
By Amri Lugungulo, PST, Kibaha
A TOTAL of 362 aliens from Ethiopia and Somalia were arrested between April 1 and May 8, this year, for entering the country contrary to immigration law.
According to Coast Region Immigration Officer Omari Kipande the aliens had told immigration officers that they entered Tanzania after fleeing clan and tribal wars in their countries.
Kipande said that the illegal immigrants were arrested at different times and in different groups and places in the region by immigration officers in cooperation with the police.
The Regional Immigration Officer said that most of the aliens were arrested in Bagamoyo and Kibaha districts after disembarking from a boat in which they were travelling through Mombasa, Kenya from their home countries, Ethiopia and Somalia.
``It seems there is a syndicate that harbours them and provides them with transport and food when they arrive in the country, but when they are arrested most of their hosts manage to escape,`` he said.
He said 128 aliens were arrested in April this year in Kibaha District and 120 of them were Ethiopians while 234 were also arrested in April, this year and 61 out of them were Somali nationals.
Kipande said that 51 illegal immigrants both Somali and Ethiopia nationals were arrested between May 1 and 8, this year, 13 of whom were Somali nationals.
The official said that the recent 51 aliens were arrested by the villagers at Lazaba Village and took them to Makurunge Village in Bagamoyo District.
However, he said that the villagers could not arrest the people who assisted them to enter the country.
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