News / National
Money changers living in fear
25 Oct 2018 at 21:06hrs | Views
IT'S not business as usual for illegal money changers.
A police blitz on the illegal traders has brought them to their knees.
The blitz has seen most money changers in the Central Business District being arrested as the police are storming on areas where they conduct their business.
One of the money changers who preferred anonymity said they were conducting their business in fear since the police officers were operating under cover.
"We have been making a lot of money these past weeks but since Monday things have really changed.
"It is no longer safe to be doing this business because people whom you might think are your customers can actually be the police who want to arrest you.
"It's hard to trust anyone now because the police officers are raiding us under cover, what is sustaining our operations now are only our customers whom we have been transacting with for a long time.
"To deal with a new customer, you need to have been referred to by someone whom you trust because any new customer now is a potential cop," said the source.
Money changers have, however, pointed out that there are some police officers who are demanding bribes from them.
"Everyone is in need of money so there are some officers who are demanding bribes from us for them to allow us to conduct our businesses.
"There is also a group of fake police officers who are also tormenting us robbing us of our money and this is one of the reasons why most money changers are quitting.
"There are some police officers who are also giving us their money to change so that they don't arrest us," said the source.
The source added that illegal dealings were still being done because business people who were fuelling the operations were not being arrested.
"Most of the money changers in the streets work for a commission for business people who own shops and service stations.
"So these raids are only affecting us but our pay masters are not being affected at all.
"It is rare to find our paymasters on the streets; if they happen to be there they will be in their cars.
"Most of the money changers you see on the streets will just be working for a commission," added the source.
Whilst the police raids were taking place, H-Metro witnessed one of the arrested money changers returning to her place of business (presumably after reasoning with the officer).
Police details have been on a drive to restore order in the city removing vendors as well as money changers. Kombi operators however remain a menace at undesignated points.
A police blitz on the illegal traders has brought them to their knees.
The blitz has seen most money changers in the Central Business District being arrested as the police are storming on areas where they conduct their business.
One of the money changers who preferred anonymity said they were conducting their business in fear since the police officers were operating under cover.
"We have been making a lot of money these past weeks but since Monday things have really changed.
"It is no longer safe to be doing this business because people whom you might think are your customers can actually be the police who want to arrest you.
"It's hard to trust anyone now because the police officers are raiding us under cover, what is sustaining our operations now are only our customers whom we have been transacting with for a long time.
"To deal with a new customer, you need to have been referred to by someone whom you trust because any new customer now is a potential cop," said the source.
Money changers have, however, pointed out that there are some police officers who are demanding bribes from them.
"Everyone is in need of money so there are some officers who are demanding bribes from us for them to allow us to conduct our businesses.
"There is also a group of fake police officers who are also tormenting us robbing us of our money and this is one of the reasons why most money changers are quitting.
"There are some police officers who are also giving us their money to change so that they don't arrest us," said the source.
The source added that illegal dealings were still being done because business people who were fuelling the operations were not being arrested.
"Most of the money changers in the streets work for a commission for business people who own shops and service stations.
"So these raids are only affecting us but our pay masters are not being affected at all.
"It is rare to find our paymasters on the streets; if they happen to be there they will be in their cars.
"Most of the money changers you see on the streets will just be working for a commission," added the source.
Whilst the police raids were taking place, H-Metro witnessed one of the arrested money changers returning to her place of business (presumably after reasoning with the officer).
Police details have been on a drive to restore order in the city removing vendors as well as money changers. Kombi operators however remain a menace at undesignated points.
Source - hmetro
