Zambia Police Impound 60 Tonnes of Suspected Sugilite in Luapula Province Operation
In a significant operation in Mansa district of Luapula Province, the local police have made a breakthrough in combating illegal mining activities.
Acting on intelligence information, law enforcement agents apprehended a total of 20 individuals linked to the illicit extraction of suspected Sugilite ore.
The operation, which took place on October 3, 2023, between 17:00 and 22:00 hours, saw the impoundment of crucial equipment and vehicles believed to be involved in the illegal mining operation.
Among the impounded assets were a tipper truck carrying suspected Sugilite mineral ore, a Toyota Hilux motor vehicle, six motorbikes, a low bed loader truck, and an excavator.
These confiscated items are currently parked at Luapula Division Headquarters in Mansa as part of ongoing investigations.
The intercepted convoy was en route from Catros Mine in the Butute area, loaded with suspected Sugilite mineral ore, heading towards Mansa town when it was intercepted by law enforcement.
The operation was initiated after police swiftly acted upon receiving information and commenced their pursuit along the Chembe-Mansa road.
As the police closed in on the convoy, which was composed of motorbikes, a tipper truck, and a Toyota Hilux, it became evident that a substantial illegal operation was underway.
Riders on motorbikes were carrying more than one pillion rider, and the tipper truck, registered as BCC 8178 and belonging to S and K Investments Company, was heavily loaded with the suspected mineral. Following the interception, several riders were apprehended, and six motorbikes were impounded.
However, some individuals managed to evade capture by executing a U-turn and fleeing the scene. The driver of the Toyota Hilux and all passengers abandoned the vehicle.
Subsequent investigations identified the driver of the tipper truck as Peter Mulopa, 44, residing at House number 117 in Suburbs compound, Mansa. Mulopa estimated the tonnage of the material he was transporting to be approximately 16 tons.
The origins of this illegal mining operation trace back to September 30, 2023, when an individual known as Jones (with other names undisclosed) rented an excavator from an Indian national, Poddutuni Sninivas Reddy, 45, residing at Musenga Site and Service in Mansa.
Jones then approached Joseph Ngosa, 31, from Chabalamuwe compound in Mansa, who owned a Howo Low Bed truck with registration number AID 1828 ZM and a trailer registered as AID 1827 ZM.
Faleck Sinkala, 35, from Senama in Mansa, was the driver of the Low Bed truck and conveyed the excavator to Catros mine in the Butute area.
On October 1 and 2, 2023, water was pumped out from the mining site where the suspected Sugilite mineral ore was extracted. A tipper truck was called in to transport the minerals, and on October 3, 2023, explosives were used to blast rocks, allowing the excavator to load the minerals into the tipper truck.
Subsequently, the owner of the excavator procured another Low Bed truck from Mansa, which transported the minerals from the mining site in Butute to Mansa.
On the evening of October 3, motorbike riders and a Toyota Hilux began escorting the loaded tipper truck to Mansa. It was at this point that the police intervened and intercepted the convoy.
In light of these developments, the police have detained the owner of the Howo Low Bed truck, the truck’s driver, the owner of the excavator, and the excavator machine operator, identified as Mathews Miti, 40.
Additionally, several riders and their passengers have been apprehended, bringing the total number of suspects to 20.
This operation represents a significant step in the fight against illegal mining activities, and further investigations are underway to uncover the full extent of the operation and identify any additional accomplices involved.
