The Department of Immigration and Citizenship Services in the Eastern Region has arrested 11 people for working and entering into the country without valid documents.
Regional Immigration Officer for the East, Vivian Kasambo confirmed the arrest on Thursday.
He said the illegal immigrants from Rwanda, Tanzania, Burundi and Mozambique were arrested during patrols jointly conducted by the immigration department and Malawi Police in the region.
“We have arrested these illegal immigrants as part of cleaning up the region,” said Kasambo adding that the Immigration Department has since deported nine of immigrants into their respective countries while the two have been sent to Dzaleka refugee camp in Dowa.
The Eastern Region Immigration Chief, Kasambo also appealed to Malawians to report all suspected illegal immigrants to relevant authorities. He said it is a crime to hide a person residing or working in the country without valid documentations.
“Let me take this opportunity to make an appeal to Malawians that they should report all people suspected to be illegal immigrants to Immigration department or any other relevant authorities,” appealed Kasambo.
Recently, Minister of Homeland Security Richard Chimwendo Banda challenged Eastern Region Immigration Officers to crack-down on illegal immigrants in the region.
We know alot of people that are faking up prp or brp in malawi and no matter how much we report these people will end up paying and the next day they are on the road again. I have known people who has a fake malawi ID and I did my best to report to but nothing happened.