Enterprises in Chingola
Police have busted a highly-organised copper theft syndicate in which some unscrupulous people, including a Chinese national, have been stealing copper and stashing it in a warehouse on the Chingola-Chililabombwe road.
Law enforcement officers, led by the Anti-Copper Theft Crack Squad, recovered more than 50 tonnes of copper ore worth about K6 billion yesterday and arrested a Chinese national in connection with the theft.
Police believe that the copper ore was stolen from Konkola Copper Mine (KCM) in Chingola and that more people would be rounded up.
Copperbelt province police, Chief Mary Tembo confirmed the incident and identified the Chinese national as Pan Weifeng, aged 25.
The contraband was recovered from a warehouse on plot 4175 on the Chingola/Chililabombwe road and was yesterday taken to KCM plant to establish if it was stolen from Nchanga open pit.
Ms Tembo said police received a tip from members of the public that stolen copper ore had been hidden at a warehouse.
“Acting on the report, police obtained a search warrant and rushed to the warehouse. Unfortunately the Chinese national operating from there got wind of it and ran away. A manhunt was launched while the place was put under 24-hours guard,” she said.
On Thursday last week, police received information that the Chinese national was hiding in Ndola at a warehouse in Ndola. A second search was made at the place where a Chinese national was found.
“After talking to him, he brought Pan on November 23 who was immediately detained. A search was conducted at the warehouse along the Chingola/Chililabombwe road where the copper ore was found,” she said.
A combined team of Anti-Copper Theft Crack Squad and police had sealed off the premises as they finalised their investigations.
A KCM truck was found on the scene waiting to load the copper ore to be ferried back to the plant. Pan was taken to the warehouse in the company of police officers who had driven him from Ndola.
Copper Thieves Nabbed By Coppers… jolly good. I hear the real story will be turned in to a martial arts drama featuring our very own Chief Mary Jet Li taking down the 25 year old with a flying kick not a flying squad. Oh oh. Coffee time :)
Look him up or deport him right now, he came to steal copper unlike to invest. How do we Zambians call thieves as investors? This is not the first time a Chinese national is involved in copper theft, it just shows that Chinese people are not genuine people to deal with or trust when it comes to business.
that is not the first time he has done that.all this so called inverstors are just stealling from the poor zambians.
Investor of second order
i know a prominent Chingola family who is very involved in this. call me at 1-800-KACHEPA, for the scoop
these bloody china men are going too far. theyve come in masses, wonder how best to keep them in check
I challenge some senior police officers to deny if they haven’t been conniving with that great jerabo Indian, zimart director who is buying property all over Ndola town centre. Let them arrest the man; they even know where his so called warehouse is situated.
The problem is that even the high level top police personnel are involved in copper thefts on the copperbelt. These are a highly organised group (mafias) which involve police, big business people, some politicians , and mine workers including top mine officials. It will take a lot of commitment from the PF government to win this copper theft war. I end here.
Didn’t ba kapokola vow not to stop recieving kick backs from Jerabos? Not seleni tubombeko but tampeni ukubombapo ba mambala
50 tons cannot be K6bn worth!
This is about K 300 m not K 6bn worth of Copper Ore.
Fool can’t distinguish between “concentrates” and finished copper!
well done police service.you are much better than rtsa who are busy getting money from motorist .if you dont have cash ask someone to bring thats the new rule from rtsa
The story has a lot of gaping holes. Why was the copper taken to KCM when kcm has not reported any thefts. there is more people in this crime than just that one choncholi.
the so called investors have nothing to invest in Zambia apart from becoming day-time robberers! sad news indeed. the police should check closely with these ‘investors.’ ba police also should stop conniving with such ‘investors’.
Even the police are part of the syndicate.Something wasn’t just paid enough this time around.
Just jail this muchoncholi period. They pretend to be investors and yet they are infectors . Please jail him with hard labour so that other choncholis learn from him.
Peace and Prosperity to Mother Zambia.
Again, emphasis seems to be only on the Chinese national. He was not working alone. The police should only have announced this after rounding up everyone involved. The truth is that even some policemen are likely to be involved. They only move after a ‘tip-off’. They are not pro-actively trying to stop this. We also need to be weary of some Indians and Zambians working at KCM – inside job. Prejudiced and one-sided thinking is behind the failure by us Zambians to stop corruption. Behind every foreign national stealing from us, there is a willing Zambian collaborator.
Jerabos at work, not scared of Dr Solomon Jere, hey?
jere is even the one providing escort services.
Elyo uyu mu Chocholi mwaiche sana but alesambilisha abena Zambia how to steal! Lock him up and give me the key to his cell!
JUST BY LOOKING AT THE COPPER ORE STORAGE FACILITY/AREA MAKES WONDER ABOUT SECURITY IMPLICATIONS. FOR ME IT LOOKS LIKE PA CHISHALA/RUBBISH DUMP.
Same old story, how come the police seem only to be arresting Chinese nationals what about the real Jerabos? this Chinese arrest is just to save face otherwise his a small fish. Jerabos are the real culprits wrecking havoc on the Copperbelt, they even have a tendency of using their allies the police to do their dirty work of eliminating their competitors for them. Jerabos have political links no wonder they will never be eradicated, i guess you know which party am suggesting.
Pa Fwaka kabili. Who else? Kapoko, the thief released, Fawaaz the chief jerabo, even fund Pa Fwaka (PF), the list is endless.
any ways what does it matter to me as i don’t benefit a single f**king penny from these Copper thefts so to hell let them get as much as the ground can bury after all KCM is just another thief.
if copper can miss from KCM and they don’t notice, then it means even Mines do export Copper in the same way these called thieves export. in short people have always said Mines export more then they tell the Government as a way of not wanting to pay TAX but as usual its business as usual.
The chinese mafia, panning Africa!
Most of the copper thefts that have come to light involve a Chinese or some Chinese nationals! Does it mean that these people are good at everything including stealing?
Zambians must be jalous for their God given copper and shouldnt allow it to just be plundered must gard it with great vigilance never to just let it go after copper you may not any thing to talk about as zambia on the world map because of copper
Hey guys lets go to BBC African football in numbers and vote for Chris Katongo for African Footballer of the year 2012. There are only 5 shortlisted names and results will be announced on Dec 13, 2012. Let us not allow our friends outvote our man! You can vote on BBC African Football page or send a text message The winner will be decided by African football fans, who have until 1830 GMT on Thursday, 13 December to vote for their choice.
“You can either vote via this page or by sending an SMS from your phone to +44 7786 20 50 75:
Text 1 for Demba Ba
Text 2 for Younes Belhanda
Text 3 for Didier Drogba
Text 4 for Christopher Katongo
Or Text 5 for Yaya Toure”
When I read the headline “Police uncover a highly-organised copper theft syndicate” first name that came to mind was GLENCORE!!
:) If only…
Yet they are quick to deport genuine factory owners(Italians) and have a blind eye on what the chinese are doing.
m
Police have vowed not stop getting kick backs from Jerabo’s so why waste time investigating. Its twatampa ukubomba po
Seleni tubombeko naifwe…
Not all Chinese are investors. Some represent the Chinese Mafia. Police have been apprehending Chinese copper thieves for some time. What has the Criminal Justice system done to them? If nothing then we are inviting them to continue the economic sabotage. Try them, jail them , then declare them person non grata.
Where to buy The Looky 3.5 Inch Color Hand Held Video Magnifier 2 Hrs. of Battery Use! On Sale Reviews?Feel completely happy to provide you with the good Reviews The Looky 3.5 Inch Color Hand Held Video Magnifier 2 Hrs. of Battery Use! Whole Sale Coupons. With so many currently available, it is good to have a “Cheap The Looky 3.5 Inch Color Hand Held Video Magnifier 2 Hrs. of Battery Use! Deals Prices” you can confidence. Best Buy The Looky 3.5 Inch Color Hand Held Video Magnifier 2 Hrs. of Battery Use! Sales Online is clearly that you will be a good order.