Soyo - Two Border Police officers based at the Vuandembo river station, commune of Sumba, municipality of Soyo, in the Province of Zaire, hve been detained for alleged involvement in fuel smuggling to the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
The arrest resulted from an operation carried out in the early hours of Tuesday, by personnel from the Northern Naval Region Command of the Angolan Navy (MGA), along the Kukuilo river channel.
The spokesperson for the Northern Naval Region Command of the MGA, Frigate Lieutenant Paulo Kassanga, who informed the press on Wednesday, explained that the accused had facilitated the passage of a vessel carrying 2,890 liters of diesel destined for neighboring DRC.
At thi same operation, according to the source, also resulted in the arrest of two national citizens for smuggling, as well as the seizure of two three-wheeled motorbikes and a small vehicle that were used to transport the confiscated fuel.
The two Border Police officers were sent to the Military Prosecutor's Office, while the civilians were handed over to the Public Prosecutor's Office for processing.
The municipality of Soyo shares a vast river border (Zaire River) with the DRC, with several islands and channels that serve as a hiding place for foreigners in illegal migration situations and the smuggling of goods, particularly fuel.
Recently, the Minister of State and head of the Military House of the President of the Republic, Francisco Pereira Furtado, denounced, in the city of Soyo, the involvement of the country's senior leaders in fuel smuggling to the neighboring DRC.
The list includes current and former rulers, general officers, commissioners of the National Police, administrative authorities at provincial and municipal levels, traditional authorities, among other individuals.
PMV/JL/CF/jmc
