Angola: Police arrest 893 people in operation to make taxi ranks safer in Luanda

Luanda – The results of the operation, which was carried out on Wednesday, were presented to the press by the National Police on Friday, and led to the dismantling of some networks of people who extort money from people at the taxi ranks.

Some 814 “lotadores” were taken to police stations. These people announce the collective taxi routes at the ranks and coercively charge drivers to “fill up” their vehicles.

The work of these “lotadores” has been strongly denounced by both passengers and taxi drivers, with daily reports of aggression and clashes at taxi ranks throughout the Angolan capital.

The Police also arrested suspects on counts of robbery, theft, illegal possession of firearms and narcotics, six of which have been indicted on counts of attempted murder, street robbery and illegal possession of firearms and cannabis, knowm locally as “liamba.”

Five firearms of various calibers, an ammunitions carrier, a kitchen knife, a car, two motorcycles and 400 doses of liamba were seized from the suspects.

The National Police document noted that “taxi surveillance actions will continue until public order and tranquility are restored.”