Police in smuggling scam

FIVE officers from the Mozambican police and two from Customs, who used to work in the Maputo International Airport, have been suspended and are now facing both disciplinary action and criminal charges in connection with their role in the smuggling of rhino horns and elephants tusks out of the country.

According to the police commander in the capital Maputo, Bernardino Rafael, the accused have already been charged for facilitating the smuggling through the Maputo International Airport of large amounts of rhino horns and elephant tusks to Malaysia.

The shipment was seized by the Malaysian authorities soon after the plane landed at the airport of that Asian country.

The accused were detained briefly, but were later freed on bail and now they are awaiting trial, reports the daily paper “Noticias”.

In the last few years smuggling of rhino horns, ivory and other prohibited products have been reported frequently with the involvement of officers from law enforcement authorities, who are also involved in the illegal entry of immigrants and drug traffickers.

These and other anomalies forced the Police Commander of Maputo City to convene a meeting with officers from police, immigration and customs working in the Maputo International Airport, and warned them to abstain from corruption practices. — AIM