Police intensify blitz against forex dealers

THE Zimbabwe Republic Police has intensified its campaign against illegal foreign currency dealers and motorists driving unregistered vehicles in a bid to bring sanity on the streets and on the roads.

A team of police officers has since been deployed, targeting areas where these dealers normally operate.

Several dealers were arrested in Bulawayo, Harare and other towns and many are now playing hide and seek with the law enforcement agents.

The ZRP is conducting the operation with other relevant stakeholders who are in plain clothes.

About 170 illegal foreign currency dealers have so far been arrested countrywide since last week as police intensify the campaign against currency trading which caused volatility in the prices of basic commodities.

Police said they launched the operation against the illegal currency traders because they posed a serious security and economic threat to the country.

Last Wednesday, national police spokesperson Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi said they were conducting the operation together with other relevant stakeholders.

“The Zimbabwe Republic Police, having noted that activities by illegal foreign currency dealers were posing a serious security and economic threat to the country, embarked on a countrywide operation meant to enforce Statutory Instrument 122A of 2017, Exchange Control (Amendment) Regulations, 2017 (No.5), which criminalises the illegal trading in foreign currency,” he said.

Asst Comm Nyathi said the operation would continue until there was sanity in all towns and cities.

The arrests also came as President Mnangagwa last weekend said he would invoke the Presidential Powers (Temporary Measures) Act to introduce tough regulations to bring currency manipulators to book.

In his weekly column in The Sunday Mail, the Head of State and Government said it was inconceivable that rampant black market activities were thriving.

Meanwhile, police said they had increased patrols and stop and search blitz to curb carjacking cases.

This comes after an increase in such cases.