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More than 10 Chinese nationals have been reportedly arrested at the Mambudu Checkpoint in Kono District while allegedly travelling to Kumaroh Village to engage in illegal gold and diamond mining activities.
The arrests were made by the Commissioner of Labour and an enforcement team during an ongoing nationwide compliance operation aimed at enforcing Sierra Leone’s Unified Work and Residence Permit regime.
According to officials, the foreign nationals were intercepted while en route to Kumaroh Village without having regularised their immigration and employment status as required under the country’s labour and immigration laws. They were subsequently handed over to the Sierra Leone Police Headquarters in Koidu for further investigation and possible legal action.
The operation forms part of the Government’s intensified crackdown on foreign nationals who reside or work in Sierra Leone without the required permits, particularly those engaged in activities within the country’s extractive sector.
The Commissioner of Labour said the enforcement exercise underscores the Government’s commitment to ensuring strict compliance with labour and immigration regulations, stressing that foreign nationals can no longer enter, live or work in Sierra Leone without the necessary legal documentation.
He added that the ongoing enforcement drive is intended to strengthen national security, promote lawful employment practices, and protect the country’s mineral resources from illegal exploitation.
Authorities say investigations are continuing, with further details expected as the case develops.
