Police in Zimbabwe have arrested 7,500 people in the past five days in a crackdown against alleged criminal activities in the capital Harare, state radio reported Sunday, dpa reported. But government critics Sunday rounded on the government, accusing it of using the police force to settle scores against perceived opposition supporters, dpa reported. The radio quoted police spokesman Oliver Mandipaka as saying "Operation Restore Order", mounted by the police on Wednesday, has so far seen 7,500 people arrested for "various offences". Those arrested include flea market operators, illegal foreign currency dealers and street vendors. The government, faced with crippling shortages of basic commodities, accuses flea market traders and street vendors of dealing in black market goods and scarce foreign currency. But the Combined Harare Residents Association (CHRA) a vocal residents' lobby slammed the police action. --More 2237 Local Time 1937 GMT
