Police in Bulawayo have arrested six suspected illegal foreign currency dealers and seized eleven point-of-sale machines which they were using for their transactions.
In a statement, police spokesperson Inspector Abednico Bhebhe warned that members of the public who would be found engaged in such dealings would be arrested.
“Police warn members of the public to desist from dealing in foreign currency as they will face the full wrath of the law. This follows the arrest of 6 illegal money changers (osiphatheleni) who were illegally dealing in foreign currency at the corner of Leopold Takawira Avenue and Fort Street at a place commonly referred to as Chicken Inn Tredgold brandishing point of sale machines (swipe machines) issued to them by some local banks,” he said.
“The latest developments where the illegal money changers use point of sale machines has seen their activities going out of hand closing pavements and operating as though everything was legal.”
He said the practice also becomes a security threat as robbers may target such open illegal banking systems.
“Police will conduct the operations to safeguard the lives and incomes of innocent people,” said Inspector Ncube.
