Dar es Salaam, Tanzania - The Tanzanian Police Force has announced the arrest of 24 Ethiopian nationals for illegal entry into the country while claiming they were refugees. Kilimanjaro Regional Police Commander Absalom Mwakyoma said the Ethiopian group was arrested last Sunday, at around 23:00 hrs local time (20:00 GMT), at Himo where they were looking for transport to an undisclosed destination.

“The successful arrest followed a tip-off from residents of the area,' Mwakyoma said, adding that none of the Ethiopians carried a legal travel document and that they crossed the Kenya/Tanzania border through unguarded bushy areas.

He named the illegal immigrants as: Ahmad Yanasini (20), Belajonah Fikina (21), Hailu Woldesembet (24), Tesfaye Bekele (28), Abella Girma (24), Eskender Sirak (24), Mesfin Sirak (24), Mebratu Temesen (23), Mohamed Elvas (20), Kelif Naji (20) and Desalegn Mameru (20).

Others are Meiekot Eshetu (32), Yindilkachim Setegine (24), Yusuph Ahamed (27), Ahmed Obsu (24), Mohamed Hassan (24), Bahiro Sanii (22), Farah Ahamed (21), Alemudin Bongor (29), Tikesh Fikre (26), Abduifa Tahmmahmma (25), Mumop Ahmed (20) and Dawit Negussie (20).

According to police sources, a syndicate operating in Kenya, Ethiopia, Somalia and some European countries is involved in ferrying illegal immigrants from the Horn of Africa countries through Tanzania to South Africa, where they buy illegal passports for travel to greener pastures

Source Tanzania Daily News