Immigration now targets illegally employed aliens

Dar es Salaam. The Regional Immigration Office here has embarked on a crackdown on foreigners living in the city without residence or work permits.

The department will also expose and take measures against officials who issue foreigners with fake documents.

This was revealed by Regional Immigration Officer (RIO) John Msumule, who addressed reporters yesterday to give a briefing on last week’s operation which, among other things, seized and detained 25 Indian nationals working with Quality Group, allegedly for living and engaging in employment in the country without the necessary permits.

Along with the 25, there were six Chinese working with the Global Leader Company who were arrested and locked up for allegedly being in possession of fake documents. Another detainee, a Uganda national named Aisha Talib, was caught with 15 passports belonging to Madagascar and Burundi nationals. Others seized in the crackdown are: six Taiwanese, two Indonesians and a Chinese from the Luck and Spin Company. These are accused of being in Tanzania without residence or temporary business permits while they have signed for permanent employment at the company.

Mr Msumule said two of those arrested and detained paid fines and seven have been given five days to leave the country.

He said that their operation, which targeted companies, have discovered employers who recruit foreign nationals but fail to process for them the prerequisite documents to legalise their stay and employment in Tanzania.

The Immigration Office also uncovered a local security company, Alfa Romeo, employing a Malawian national illegally.

He said that for example, at the Quality Centre Group, which run over 20 separate companies, the Immigration Office identified 128 foreign nationals, 25 of whom have neither working nor residence permits.

“Because of that, we have issued a warrant that the owner of the group, Mr Yusuf Manji, who we were told is currently hospitalised, to report in our offices the day he is released so that explains,” he said.