Police officers in Botswana have arrested 10 suspects nine of them Zimbabweans for possession of stolen mobile phone base station batteries.

The arrests were recorded at Dibete police station on Tuesday morning.

Botswana Director of Crime Intelligence, Senior Assistant Commissioner of Police, Nunu Lesetedi said the suspects were arrested after they were found in possession of 15 batteries for communication towers belonging to different mobile networks.

The suspects comprised nine (9) Zimbabwean male citizens and one Motswana male citizen aged between 37 and 42 years who were intercepted on their way from Gaborone to the north towards Zimbabwe.

The suspects are still in police custody while investigations are continuing.

Mr Lesetedi appealed to members of the public to report any person they may suspect is involved in such criminal activities.

Two other Zimbabweans were arrested in Beitbridge on the same day by South African police after being found in possession of nine similar batteries belonging to Vodacom.

The batteries are on demand in Zimbabwe as they are used in solar power systems with the country experiencing the worst power shortage in decades.