Zimbabwean police at Beit Bridge rounded up 74 suspects in an on-going operation aimed at cleaning up the border post of criminal activities ahead of the festive period.

Police spokesperson, Chief Supt Lawrence Chinhengo said the suspects, who were arrested between Monday and Thursday during a border operation, included border jumpers, conmen known as guma gumas, and bogus clearing agents targeting travellers passing through the border post.

“We have noted that most criminal activities happen during this time of the year, as criminals tend to capitalise on an increase in the movement of traffic at the border and commotion during peak periods. We, however, continue to urge travellers to shun guma gumas whenever they approach them. Immigration and customs formalities are solely the duty of border officials and registered clearing agents,” he said.

Chinhengo said they had deployed more officers at the border and other strategic areas such as the Dulibadzimu bus terminus and major highways to flush out criminals and touts. “We have put mechanisms in place to fight crime and more officers have been deployed at the border post and other areas since our major aim this festive season is to ensure that our travellers are safe,” he said.

Chinhengo said they were conducting several operations throughout the border town “We have intensified our night patrols along our highways, where we have also mounted mobile roadblocks targeting overloaded cars, unregistered vehicles carrying passengers with insecure loads and unlicensed and drunken drivers who mainly contribute to road accidents,” he added.