Smuggling tunnels found in South Darfur capital

A number of tunnels have been discovered in Nyala, the capital of South Darfur. They were used for smuggling. The Commissioner of Nyala locality, Abdel Rahman Hussein Gardud, announced in a press conference on Sunday that security and police forces discovered tunnels during their inspection of the Muhafiz and Bentiu districts in Nyala. “The tunnels were used to smuggle illegal goods, in particular imported and home-made alcohol.” The inspection of the two “suspect districts” is part of an extensive campaign in South Darfur to curb the rampant insecurity in the area, and in particular in Nyala. On 15 July, the South Darfur State Governor issued a number of emergency measures, including a prohibition of wearing masks, firing guns, and a ban on motorcycles. A special Emergency Court was established in Nyala to speedily try offenders of the new measures. The Commissioner also reported that the Emergency Court issued verdicts in 18 cases, covering 30 offences related to the violation of the emergency measures, such as wearing a military uniform by civilians, and the possession of arms. The sentences ranged between three and five years.   Among the convicts were a police aide, and an army soldier, belonging to one of the former rebel movements that signed the Doha Document for Peace in Darfur, he added. The past few days, security and police forces, supported by army units, in about 100 vehicles, have inspected a number of “suspect districts” in Nyala, in an attempt to reduce the criminality in the capital and the surrounding areas. They found and closed a number of ‘chop shops’, specialised in changing the appearance of stolen vehicles, the Commissioner said. File photo: A Palestinian smuggling tunnel (Suhaib Salem/Reuters) Related:Gangsters arrested in Nyala, South Darfur (30 July 2014) Strict security measures in South Darfur capital (28 July 2014)