Angola news: Thousands of carats of diamonds seized by Police in Luanda

Angolan Police announced they have seized a total of 10, 246.49 carats of diamonds on December 10, 11 in Luanda province, as part of "Transparency Operation", underway across the country since September.

The announcement was made by the spokesperson for Operation and provincial commander of the National Police in northern Malanje province.

The operation also led to the seizure of USD 14,557, Euros 495 and 325 Pounds in cash, according to the state-run newspaper "jornal de Angola" that quoted the Commissioner António José Bernardo as saying during a press conference on December 12 in Angola’s capital city, Luanda.

 The Police also seized a Land Cruiser vehicle, various equipment to support the recount, qualification and determination of the value of the diamond, before being sold.

In eastern Moxico province, the police closed two firms dedicated to diamond sales and the arrest of a group involved in the illegal exploration of diamonds. The operation also targeted the illegal cutting activity of timber.

The official described Luanda province as a hub of illegal immigrants, with a small number of illegal immigrants already detected. He pledged that the national police will present more illegal foreigners in near future.

Foreigners in the illegal situation have been invited to get legalised with Migration and Foreigners Service. António José Bernardo put at more than 100 the number of diamond operating cooperatives in the country.

The Commissioner added that only 15, out of the said number, had licensed for the diamond activity, amongst national and foreign citizens.

Transparency Operation, mainly targeting the eastern Lunda Norte province due to sharing border with the Democratic Republic of Congo, was launched to crack down on illegal migration, exploration and trafficking of diamonds.

With inputs from agency.