Uíge – A group of 48, national and foreign citizens, who were engaged in illegal gold exploration, in the municipality of Songo, in the province of Uíge, were arrested, in recent days, by the local National Police (PN).

During the working visit of the minister of the Interior, Manuel Homem, to the province of Uíge, in January this year, the governor of this province, José Carvalho da Rocha, denounced the illegal exploration of diamonds in the municipality of Songo.

Speaking to ANGOP on Tuesday, Feb 11, the PN spokesperson in Uíge, chief superintendent Freitas Zama, said that these are national citizens from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Guinea Conakry, Mauritania and Senegal.

“These citizens were engaged in illegal gold exploration in the town of Terra Prometida (Promised Land), which is more than 20 km from the Songo's municipal headquarters”, he confirmed.

Freitas Zama added that the police operation also resulted in the seizure of 3 vehicles, 4 motor bombs and other means.

JAR/CF/jmc