Stolen firearms en route to Mozambique?

We have information that security companies handling transit cash in Mozambique prefer using FN rifles, but they cannot get them in that country, said a detective whose name cannot be revealed.

Three police officers were arrested and are being questioned in connection with aiding the criminals. The break-in was so well planned that there was obviously some assistance from people who had inside information of the whole set up at the police station, said the source.

According to the detective who spoke to The Zimbabwean, the criminals broke into the armoury of the CID section at Nkulumane Police Station in the early hours of August 18.

The CID section has its own armoury and there was no one on duty in the department where the criminals broke in. The armoury is about 100 metres from the reception area of the uniformed section which is manned 24 hours a day. said the detective.

The incident came as country is experiencing a spate of armed robberies which promoted Police Commissioner General Augustine Chihuri to issue instructions for the police to employ a shoot to kill policy.

The detective said while the criminals also got away with other firearms, it has been established that they were after the FN rifles which they sell in Mozambique.

The thieves got away with two FN rifles, two AK 47 rifles and some pistols. The FN rifle is valued at about $300 although it is believed the thieves could be selling the weapons for a much higher price in Mozambique.

Designed at the (Fabrique National) plant in Belgium before the Second World War, the FN Riflewas the most popular and widely adopted battle rifle among non-eastern bloc countries during the cold war era. It is renowned for being accurate, reliable and powerful.

The FN was also the standard military rifle of the Rhodesian army and is still in use in some units of the Zimbabwe Defence Forces, despite the fact that it is no longer being manufactured as it was phased out by most countries.