By A Correspondent- Almost 200 passengers were yesterday arrested for boarding buses not registered with ZUPCO and more than 20 buses were impounded.

By the time of closing business 179 passengers had paid fines pegged at $2 000 and police continued to impound illegal buses, Mushikashika vehicles and passengers caught in the buses and vehicles.

Provincial police spokesperson Inspector Tendai Mwanza confirmed the arrest urging commuters to use ZUPCO registered buses saying the operation was necessitated by an increase in robbery and rap_e cases involving illegal transport.

“Police are urging people to use ZUPCO registered buses only to avoid being arrested,” said Insp Mwanza.

“The move by police to arrest passengers was necessitated by an increase in robbery and rap_e cases involving these illegal transport operators.”

Police are urging people to use ZUPCO registered buses only to avoid being arrested

“We want to warn motorists and bus operators who are disregarding government directives that police will not tire until they bring all culprits to book.

“Among the buses impounded were those found ferrying people from one City to the other taking advantage of the green light given to legal operators to ferry school children.

“Police discovered that some operators ferried passengers from one City to the other who were not school children.

“All local school children are urged to use ZUPCO registered buses and omnibuses only and police will be visible in all street corners and roads to monitor safe movement of legal transport operators,” said Insp Mwanza.

A number of commuters have been injured as illegal transport operators evade arrest while some are forced to disembark before reaching their destinations.

– HMetro