Malawi Police intercept 17 trucks smuggling maize to Tanzania in Chitipa
Malawi Police in Chitipa on Sunday confiscated 17 trucks loaded with bags of 270 tonnes of maize which was being smuggling to Tanzania.
Northern region police spokesperson Peter Kalaya said they arrested drivers of the trucks and believe there is a syndicate to externalise the country’s maize.
Kalaya said police were tipped by well-wishers and swiftly moved in to intercept the trucks.
“It has been revealed that the traders use unchartered roots within Ilombe border in Chitipa and Songwe in Karonga,” said Kalaya.
“We have impounded the 17 trucks carrying white maize and we are questioning the drivers on suspicion that they were trying to export it illegally,” he added.
Nyasa Times understand that most of the said intercepted trucks are of the business tycoons from Karonga district.
Since January this year, business tycoons in Karonga district have been exporting maize to Tanzania illegally with the knowledge of the security personnel.
Some of the business tycoons have been challenging the media that they will benefit nothing if they expose them especially because the deal involved politicians and senior security officers.
However, Karonga police deputy spokesperson George Mlewa said they were not aware of the development, when contacted earlier.
“I am hearing for the first time from you that maize is being smuggled to Tanzania,” said Mlewa in an earlier interview.
According to some concern business tycoons, they are selling a 50 KGS bag of maize at K18, 600 in Tanzania.
Currently, a 50 kgs bag of maize is being sold at K12, 500 in ADMARC depots while in vendors is at K10, 000.
But Kalaya said the maize is transported from Lilongwe and Blantyre.
He said drivers arrested will be charged with illegal exportation and tat investigations are underway.
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I SUPPOSE ADMARC NOW HAS A DUMPING PLACE FOR THEIR WEEVIL-RIDDLED MAIZE IN ADMARC MARKETS–SELL TO TANZANIA JUST AS VENDORS ARE DOING. DO NOT STOP THEM AND POLICE ARE CHEATING TO SAY THEY DO NOT KNOW THAT VENDORS ARE SELLING THE MAIZE IN TANZANIA. RELEASE THE TRUCKS IMMEDIATELY TO THE OWNERS FOR THERE IS NOTHING WRONG IN HELPING TANZANIANS WHO ARE IN NEED OF THE MAIZE. WE HAVE PLENTY AND THAT IS WHY WE ARE NOT BUYING FROM ADMARC, AND NOW THE HARVEST IS ALMOST READY IN THE FIELD. ASIYENI APINDULE ANZANU OSAKHALA ZAKUBA ZANUZI ABOMA LA DPP. SHUPITI APOLISI… Read more »
Absolute nonsense! Why arrest them? Are they selling cocaine or chamba????
And Chaponda was buying maize from Zambia? When the maize is more expensive there than it is here!
Leave them. You (govt) misled them in the first place by telling them the country had a food deficit hence hunger was roaming. What followed was speculative trading with full hope that they were to make good profit margins. Vendors bought the commodity at as high as MK12,500, excluding labour, storage and other related charges. a bag of maize should have cost them a maximum of MK14,000 then. Now, they are being asked to sell the same commodity at MK10,000 just to minimise losses. Aluza kale kwambirir, and if there is an opportunity for them to compesate for their losses… Read more »