//Kharas police warn border jumpers
KEETMANSHOOP - The Namibian Police sent a stern warning to criminals intending to enter Namibia illegally with the aim of carrying out clandestine smuggling activities.
//Kharas regional commander David Indongo said in an interview with New Era in light of two recent cases within one month of foreigners entering Namibia illegally with the assistance of Namibians to deal in drugs, especially cannabis, that they will leave no stone unturned.
“It should be made clear that Namibian law enforcement agencies, with our neighbouring counterparts, will remain vigilant and patrol our border posts and surrounding areas in the //Kharas region,” he stated.
The commissioner, however, raised the concern of Namibians involving themselves in these criminal activities by assisting foreigners to enter Namibia unlawfully through places other than legal ports of entry, and then even harbouring them.
“These criminals just come here with the sole purpose of dealing in illicit drugs, which are negatively affecting society through substance addiction, and furthermore hampering economic growth with the illicit monetary proceeds gained from these dealings,” the police chief added.
Indongo then gave the assurance to the public in the region that his officers will fight hard to combat illegal/unlawful border post entrances and smuggling, and that those guilty will face the full wrath of the law.
In a recent incident, Nampol’s //Kharas regional crime investigations coordinator Chrispin Mubebo reported that a 31-year-old Eswatini national and two Namibians were arrested for dealing in cannabis valued at N$242 000 in the Noordoewer/ Rosh Pinah vicinity.
Court records indicate that Phila Dlamini (Swati), Nahas Mbundu and Linda Joseph (both Namibians) were arrested after police officers approached the car they were driving in and found the cannabis inside.
Dlamini was further accused of having entered Namibia illegally with an invalid passport.
Earlier this week, the //Kharas police arrested Nkosinathi Hlophe (27), a South African, for being in possession and dealing in skunk cannabis weighing 30 690 grams with an approximate value of N$1 534 500 after illegally crossing the Namibian-South African border through the Orange River.
Police information also showed that a 54-year-old Namibian suspect, Markus Ndara, was arrested during the joint operation for aiding a person to unlawfully enter Namibia from a place other than a gazetted port of entry, and to harbour such suspect.