Chembe anti-smuggling drive launched

SECURITY forces are patrolling border posts and other entry points in Chembe to prevent maize smuggling into neighbouring Democratic Republic of Congo, Luapula Province Commissioner of Police Elias Chushi said yesterday.

Mr Chushi said in an interview that Zambia National Service (ZNS) and Zambia Police personnel were monitoring border posts and entry points which were prone to smuggling. He said the operation to intercept maize smugglers started on September 22, 2018. The smuggling of the nation’s staple food crop to other countries by desperate farmers and individuals was detrimental to the economic development of the country as it deprived the local people of the needed food supply for their subsistence and nourishment, he said. “It has been observed in the previous years that smuggling of maize into neighbouring countries has been one of the contributing factors to the hunger situation in some parts of the country hence, the need to come up with such punitive measures in order to curb this vice,” he said. He said the ZNS and the police had also been mandated to sensitise the general public on why smuggling was bad for Chembe district and the country. Meanwhile, Chembe District Administrative Officer Godwin Katakwe commended the security personnel for the good job they were doing to maintain peace and order in the district. Mr Katakwe also asked the Commissioner of Police to help Chembe Police with transport to ease their operations. He said inadequate transport was the major challenge most line ministries were facing in the district and that quick intervention to help, especially the Zambia police, was needed.