Luanda: Angolan border police detained 614 citizens from the neighboring Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) last week for attempting to enter the northeastern province of Lunda-Norte illegally, police authorities said in a statement.
According to Angola Press News Agency, the group, which included 114 children, was intercepted across six border control posts-Luremo, Camaxilo, Chimeia, Nachir, Itanda, and Muenhambulo-and subsequently repatriated to the DRC through the same crossing points.
Border violations increased compared to the previous week, according to the Provincial Command of the National Police, which noted that recurring unauthorized crossings have prompted authorities to log biometrics and personal data to track repeat offenders.
Police attributed the influx of illegal border crossings to illicit diamond mining operations and fuel smuggling along the frontier.
