Mine campaign sees 25,000 arrests

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Nearly 25,000 people in Zimbabwe have been arrested since November as part of a government crackdown on illegal gold and diamond mining, police say.

Some 3.5kg of gold and 7,868 diamonds have been recovered during a two-month operation, a police statement said.

Declining mine output has been partly attributed to the smuggling of precious stones to neighbouring countries.

Tens of thousands of Zimbabweans have reportedly turned to mining following the collapse of commercial agriculture.

Home Affairs Minister Kembo Mohadi said 24,890 people had been arrested so far and that police would carry out the campaign codenamed Chikorokoza Chapera (which means The End of Illegal Gold Dealings) "to its finality".

"Zimbabwe's economy has been bleeding for quite a number of years.

"We take note that some of our people have also contributed to these economic woes by smuggling our precious minerals to enrich themselves," he said.

Fatal shooting

Mr Mohadi also expressed regret over the fatal shooting of a gold panner during a raid on an illegal mine in Shurugwi, about 300km (187 miles) south-west of the capital, Harare.

Widespread outrage followed the fatal police shooting last week, which also saw local property damaged.

Critics say President Robert Mugabe has ruined what was one of Africa's most developed economies.

As well as chronic unemployment, Zimbabwe has the world's lowest life expectancy and highest inflation rate.

Mr Mugabe says he is the victim of a Western plot to bring him down because of opposition to his seizure of white-owned land.