Blitz Nets 16 290 Gold Panners
Source: The Herald (Harare)
Date: 28 December 2006
Author: Anon
At least 16 290 gold panners have been arrested countrywide while about 3,2 kilogrammes of gold worth over $51,7 million and 4 876 pieces of diamond have been recovered since the launch of Operation Chikorokoza Chapera/Isitsheketsha Sesiphelile, police have said.
Police also recovered 524 000 kilogrammes of gold ore and 20 emeralds. The value of the diamonds and emeralds could, however, not be ascertained last night.
Most of the arrests and recoveries were made near border posts where the suspects were trying to smuggle the minerals to neighbouring countries.
Operation Chikorokoza Chapera was launched on November 21 with the objective of taming the twin evils of panning and smuggling of minerals.
Investigations by police have also unearthed the various methods used by illegal gold dealers to smuggle the precious metal out of the country.
"Information filtering to us is that some of the suspects are putting or hiding minerals in their dreadlocks and braids," Police spokesperson Chief Superintendent Oliver Mandipaka said yesterday.
"We are going to be much more thorough than we have been doing at the border posts," he said.
Chief Supt Mandipaka said police were also aware that gold panners were relocating to new areas such as Masvingo, in an attempt to evade the long arm of the law.
But this was an exercise in futility, the police spokesman said.
"We have also put in place mechanisms to curtail smuggling of gold from where it is processed," he said.
Chief Supt Mandipaka said police had an obligation not only to maintain law and order, but to protect the environment.
He said it was for this reason that the police was concerned about the reckless use of mercury and other chemicals by gold panners.
"We are also worried about the level of siltation in our dams and land degradation," he said.
Police Commissioner Augustine Chihuri recently warned some unscrupulous businesspeople who were employing villagers and farm workers to engage in gold panning countrywide, that the ZRP would not hesitate to bring them to book.
"A few 'greedy fat cats' have monopolised this industry and engaged every other person in the villages, farms and elsewhere to recklessly pan for gold and other precious minerals from every piece of land, where such minerals have been discovered.
"This left a trail of disaster with all rivers, farmlands, homesteads, schools, hospitals, railway lines and roads dug up. Even graves have not been spared," said Cde Chihuri.
In his 19th State of the Nation Address last week, President Mugabe said Zimbabwe was witnessing rampant destruction of forests and land through uncontrolled veld fires and illegal panning.
"I would like to urge the police, the Ministry of Environment and Tourism and local authorities to move swiftly in stemming this wanton destruction of the environment.
"I wish to note here the police operation codenamed Chikorokoza Chapera/No Illegal Panning and to commend the police for their noble initiative," he said.