Ondjiva – More than a thousand attempts to breach the borders between Angola's southern Cunene Province and the neighbouring Namibia were prevented in the first quarter of this year by the Border Police (PGF), 240 fewer cases than in the same period of the previous year 2023, said on Monday the director of the national police press office in Cunene, chief superintendent Nicolau Tuvecalela.
Speaking to ANGOP, the official said that 1,287 were recorded on foot, eight with vehicles and two with motorbikes, adding that the violations consist of 1,281 cases of tax evasion, 11 oil smuggling and trafficking of cannabis sativa.
He said that the offences culminated in the questioning of 9,792 citizens, 9,785 of them nationals and seven foreigners, 3,816 fewer than in the previous period.
During the period in question, the PGF seized 10 vehicles, various vehicle accessories, mobile phones, household utensils, foodstuffs, as well as 3,35 litres of petrol and 2,917 litres of diesel for attempting to evade tax.
On the other hand, the first demining brigade of the Border Guard Police Unit (UPGF), removed and destroyed a 120 mm cannon shell and another BM-21, as well as two anti-personnel mines, an F-1 grenade and an equal number of South African-made aviation rockets.
According to the source, the explosive devices were removed on complaints from people in the areas of Omakuto, on the border with Santa Clara, and in the Caculuvale neighbourhood in Ondjiva.
The Province of Cunene shares 460 kilometres of border with the Republic of Namibia, 340 of which are by land and 120 by river.
FI/LHE/MCN/MRA/jmc
