National police spokesperson Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi said that the Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) has launched an operation targeting illegal mining sites in all provinces.
The operation has so far resulted in the arrest of over 157 people who were involved in conducting illegal mining activities in the past two weeks, with police recovering generators and machetes used by the panners in robberies. Said Asst Comm. Nyathi:
Police in all the provinces has ongoing operations to ensure there is sanity, law and order at various mining sites.
We are also working with various stakeholders like the Ministry of Mines and Mining Development during these operations.
The operation follows a sharp rise in criminal activities by gangs of artisanal miners turned machete attackers generally referred to as “MaShurugwi”.
The gangs have been accused of murder, rape, assault, housebreaking and stock theft across the country.