POLICE CLAIM TO DISMANTLE 283 GANGS IN MAPUTO

The Mozambican police dismantled 283 criminal gangs in Maputo city last year, 140 of whom used firearms to carry out their crimes, according to the governor of the city, Iolanda Cintura.She was speaking at the opening of a session of the Council of the Maputo City Police Command, scheduled to last for a day.Cintura claimed that the Maputo police had solved 7,551 crimes in 2015, which was 81 per cent of crimes reported, and had made 7,234 arrests. The number of reported crimes had risen by five per cent, when compared with 2014.She said the police had seized from criminals 55 firearms, 535 rounds of ammunition, over 16,000 kilos of cannabis, and 14 kilos of rhinoceros horn. Among the stolen property which the police recovered were 151 vehicles and 96 mobile phones.“The effectiveness of police actions”, Cintura said, “depends to a large extent on the participation and collaboration of citizens. Although the police force is the most visible symbol of social control, it should work in close collaboration with the communities and with society at large”.She stressed the importance of spreading legal awareness among citizens, in order for them to know their rights.“Knowledge of the fundamental rights of citizens is important so that we avoid all incorrect and unethical practices, such as corruption, and taking the law into our own hands”, said Cintura.For his part, the Maputo City Police Commander, Bernardo Rafael, said the meeting will debate the operational activities of the police in the capital for the present year. “This will be the great debate that will guide our Council, prioritising peace, order and public safety”, he declared.Rafael admitted that one of the main challenges facing the police is to halt the wave of kidnappings in Mozambican cities that began in 2011. He also stressed that the police must boost their activities in the outlying neighbourhoods of Maputo, where residents have often complained about the lack of a police presence.