The Department of Immigration and Citizenship Services has engaged communities along the Songwe River in Karonga District on human trafficking.

Speaking on Thursday during the meeting, Songwe Immigration Border Post officer-in-charge Robert Chisale said they want to curb human trafficking, which is rampart in the district.

“We want to sensitise locals to the evils of aiding and abetting illegal migrants and human trafficking. We also toured Ntakisi area which is infamous for smuggling of goods from  neighbouring Tanzania,” he said.

Group village head Mwandambo hailed the department for the initiative, saying the battle against human trafficking and smuggling of goods requires collaboration.

“These meetings are welcome because they border on our own security and revenue collection, which contributes to the country’s development,” he said.

In a related development, Karonga senior resident magistrate Mateo Chitha on Friday released 31-year-old Abacho Sugamo of Hossan Town in Ethiopia and 71 others who were jointly arrested last week by Malawi Defence Force and Police at Vinthukutu Forest around Chilumba in the district.

Two weeks ago, the department also held a similar meeting in Ngana in Senior Chief Mwakaboko in the district.

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