THE Directorate of Criminal Investigation (DCI) has said that it is taking measures to ensure that all the players in the Information Technology sector work cohesively to curb cyber crime in the country.

Speaking to the 'Sunday News' recently in Dar es Salaam, the Assistant Commissioner of Police, Mr Issaya Mngulu, said that fighting cybercrime requires cooperation and support of all players deploying IT in their activities. "Whenever there is lack of cooperation from the IT players, it becomes difficult for the police to make immediate interventions," said the Commander.

Cyber crime involves national and transnational organised criminal enterprises engaging in Internet fraud including identity theft among others. The Commander cited some institutions which have started collaborating in addressing the cyber crime situation in the country as Tanzania Communication Regulatory Authority (TCRA), telecommunication companies and banks.

However, when asked to comment on the problems facing cybercrime unit under DCI, he said that the cyber experts lack up to date facilities to pursue all sophisticated crimes committed through technology. "We are in dire need of modern facilities to combat all forms of modern crimes through internet and others," he remarked.

An officer in the cyber crime section on condition of anonymity said that the training that most of them have undertaken abroad is rarely put into practice because of lack of gadgets to facilitate their work. "Something that could be solved in a day takes weeks due to a lack of facilities," he said.

Commenting on efforts to fight cyber crime in the country, the Police Spokesperson, Advera Senso, said that community involvement was crucial in fighting the vice. "It is important for the public to keep an eye on anything suspicious which is happening in their presence or vicinity and report to the authorities immediately, in order to curb such crime," she said.

She said for example whenever there is any delay on reporting cyber crime; it becomes difficult for police experts to trace such theft especially on ATM Machines. "Such experts cannot then establish when the crime took place which makes it difficult to curb such criminal activities," said the spokesperson.

She added that the Police has therefore again reminded all Information Communication Technology (ICT) stakeholders and financial institutions to remain proactive in reporting such incidents of cyber crime so as to allow the police to make immediate and speedy interventions.

Recently the 'Sunday News' reported that Automated Teller Machine (ATM) theft in the country is a new experience and authorities concerned have advised financial institutions to consider and institute immediate measures to manage it. Last month a man was arrested at Tabata in Dar es Salaam after being found tampering with an ATM machine.

ATM users cornered him after a security guard had raised an alarm. Police said that the Cyber Crime unit is investigating the attempted theft to establish the type of gadgets used to carry out the alleged theft attempt and transactions in ATM machines.