NAIROBI, Sept. 19 (Xinhua) -- Kenyan authorities on Wednesday arrested ten Ugandans who were being trafficked to the Middle East in the latest crackdown targeting illegal migrants in the East African nation.
Director of Immigration Services Alex Muteshi said the immigrants who were being trafficked by a Kenyan were arrested at a residential estate in Nairobi.
"The Kenyan trafficker will be arraigned in court in the soonest time possible. Our resolve to weed out criminal aliens from our country and streamline our immigration systems is as strong as ever," said Muteshi in a statement issued in Nairobi.
The Kenyan authorities have intensified the ongoing crackdown on undocumented migrant workers that have seen homes raided and hundreds of migrants, refugees and asylum seekers arrested around the country.
The country's immigration department has set up a hotline number for citizens to report irregular migrants in their neighborhoods and the authorities' actions have mostly affected refugees and asylum seekers.
Kenya had issued a directive in May ordering foreigners working in the country without official work permits to get documentation or be arrested at the lapse of 60 days saying the move will help the government get rid of tax evaders and criminals.
It explained that illegal migrants with fake working permits come to the country as tourists but take advantage of immigration loopholes to engage in business activities which are against the law. Enditem
