By CYRUS OMBATI
Nairobi, Kenya: Police have cracked down on a human trafficking syndicate which ferried disabled persons from Tanzania to use them as beggars in Nairobi.
Police said they arrested 32 Tanzanian disabled persons in Huruma estate on Monday night after they were sneaked in at the Kenya-Tanzania border to be used as professional beggars in Nairobi.
Starehe OCPD Barasa Wabomba said his officers busted the cartel and arrested two men suspected to be behind the begging industry racket.
“We are informed that they had been brought here for alms purpose but we intend to charge them in court with being in Kenya illegally. We will also charge the hosts of the crippled men and women,” said Wabomba.
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He said the disabled persons were smuggled into the country in the pretext that their welfare will be looked into and that they would benefit from alms.
They included men, women and children. Police said they arrested two other people who were hosting them.
Wabomba said they are investigating to establish if the cartel involves immigration officials stationed at borders.
“They had no valid documents but how they managed to enter the country has baffled police”, Wabomba said.
