By Sukuoluhle Ndlovu
It is not all rosy for the illegal money changers as the Masvingo Criminal Investigation Department is on their necks ever since last week.
The CID mostly in civilian clothing are pouncing on unsuspecting money changers and ordinary members of the community involved in the illegal money changing activities.
The illegal foreign currency dealers said the police are not giving them to work as they are after them this festive season.
One money changer said what they are doing is not fair as they are just being arrested even when seen standingwithout necessarily performing any transaction.
”The police are hunting us down like nobody’s business, there is nothing we can do even if you just relaxed if they just suspect you are changing money you will get arrested.
“I have been arrested thrice since last Friday and imagine to be expected to pay a fine of 100bond. What we are doing is illegal but at the end we need to survive and this is my job,” said one Thabani.
Another money changer expressed concern over the police chasing them every minute.
”I was just standing with my friends talking about football and guess what boom the police arrived and we were told we should go to the station, we were about 15 when we were arrested and they were not expecting us to pay using Eco Cash mobile money transfer what was that,” he said.
One identified CID said they are arresting the money changers as they are the one disturbing the distribution of cash.
“The illegal money changers are soliciting in illegal dealings and we want this to come to an end. So we are going to hunt them down even those we identify changing money will be in for it but will pay a lesser fine than the illegal money changers. The problem then is even if they pay the fine, they will still go back to the streets and start their illegal dealings again, “he said.
