Three individuals have fallen into the hands of the National Criminal Investigation Service (SERNIC) in possession of four human bones that were allegedly desecrated in a grave at the Nihessiwe administrative post in the Murrupula district of Nampula..

The weekly Ngani writes that the human bones seized were destined for the city of Nampula to be sold on the parallel market for 750,000 meticais.

SERNIC spokeswoman Enina Tsinine said, as quoted by the same weekly, that the capture of the individuals and the consequent seizure of the bones was made possible by operational work carried out by the sector, after it became aware of the movement of individuals with the bones in question.

The source, who was speaking to the press a few days ago, said that the suspects were surprised by SERNIC agents at the Faina bus station, when they had just got off the semi-collective passenger transport from Murrupula.

The same source says that in order to evade the police's investigations, the individuals hid the remains in sachets, which was promptly triggered by SERNIC.

"SERNIC became aware that there were people with human bones coming from Murrupula to the city of Nampula and we set mechanisms in motion, culminating in their neutralization in the Faina park, when they were trying to sell the bones," he said.

The spokeswoman said that a report had been filed with the Public Prosecutor's Office with a view to holding the individuals responsible for the acts committed.

The district of Murrupula, in the southwest of Nampula province, has become notorious for human trafficking, especially the desecration of graves and the consequent removal of bones for commercial or superstitious purposes over the last 10 years. Source: NGANI