British national arrested at Malawi airport for ‘attempting to externalize foreign currency’

Malawi  Police at Chileka International Airport in Blantyre have arrested a British National for attempting to externalize foreign currency without permit.

Police Branch Public Relations Officer, Sergeant Sapulani Chitonde identified the British suspect as Arif Mustafa, 21 who was attempting to externalize US$10,000 (about K7.4 million) without permit.

The Police publicist said Mustafa who is a businessman was arrested Tuesday as he was about to board a plane to South Africa.

“The arrest of Mustafa came after police conducted a physical search on him and his luggage. Upon being questioned the suspect failed to produce supporting papers of the foreign currency he wanted to externalize,” said Chitonde.

Mustafa was charged with two counts of attempting to transfer foreign currency outside Malawi which is contrary to section 11(1) of the Exchange Control Regulation under the Exchange Control Act and for being found in possession of foreign currency without papers in Malawi which is contrary to regulation 25(1) of the same Act.

The arrest of the British National comes barely a week after a woman, Madalitso Chimbuli, was arrested at the Kamuzu International Airport in Lilongwe for attempting to take forex out of the country without permit.