Immigration officers in the Northern Region have arrested 76 immigrants who entered the country illegally.
Northern Region Immigration Public Relations Officer Blackwell Lungu said they arrested 75 Ethiopians and a Burundian national in Chiweta hills along the Karonga-Mzuzu M1 Road on Thursday
According to Lungu, the Immigration Department also arrested five Malawians who were found aiding the illegal immigrants.
Lungu said his department received a tip from community members that three minibuses travelling on the Karonga-Mzuzu M1 Road were carrying immigrants.
“Immigration officials mounted a roadblock along the road and indeed three minibuses carrying the illegal immigrants were nabbed. Even though they tried to escape and hide in Chiweta Hills after realizing that there was a roadblock, our officers followed and caught them,” he said.
Lungu added by condemning Malawians who continue to help foreigners to enter into the country using illegal routes.
He said immigrants can also be carriers of diseases since they pass through various countries.
He said: “It’s a shame that after all the messages that have been passed across the nation, some Malawians could still be unpatriotic and continue to harm this country by aiding foreigners who are not identified legally.”
