POLICE in Botswana have since January this year arrested more than 4 000 Zimbabweans for attempting to illegally cross into the neighbouring country.

The border jumpers, 2 479 men, 1 521 women and children were intercepted at the border while attempting to cross into Botswana.

Addressing delegates during a Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) mass crime awareness campaign at Dingumuzi Stadium in Plumtree on Tuesday, Botswana senior police officer, assistant superintendent Mothokomedi Ponyane from Tshesebe police crime office, said the increase in cases of illegal border crossing have become a cause for concern.

He said border jumping posed a security threat to both countries hence the need to fight it from both ends.

The campaign ran under the theme “Join hands in fighting crimes of passion.”
“The most problematic issue in Botswana is illegal border crossing. Betweeen January and September this year, statistics show that we arrested 4 387 Zimbabwean nationals crossing into Botswana through border jumping. Out of this total number 2 479 are males and the remaining comprise of both women and children,” said Asst Supt Ponyane.

He urged members of the public to obtain the required travel documents to avoid arrests.

Botswana together with the ZRP are carrying out border crime meetings and patrols along the border to combat incidents of border jumping.
Ass Supt Ponyane said through the patrols they have not only addressed border jumping issues but have managed to recover smuggled goods.

“We have forums where the two countries meet to discuss issues of cross border crime. In our meetings we also share information regarding the arrest and release of criminals both in Botswana and Zimbabwe. After sharing information on criminal issues, we set aside days when we conduct patrols along the border.

Through these exercises we managed to recover property that was smuggled into Botswana. In one incident I understand it was a case where dagga was smuggled into our country,” he said.State media