Police seize 20 ‘hot cars’ in Malawi, dozens arrested in Sarpco crackdown

March 28, 2015 Maurice Nkawihe- Nyasa Times 75 Comments

About 20 cars including luxury vehicles have been impounded and dozens of people arrested on various offences. The crackdown targeted vehicles reported stolen in Africa and sold to unsuspecting buyers locally under Southern Africa Regional Police Fiscal Operation (Sarpco) dubbed Tugela.

Manjolo: Sarpco crackdown
Manjolo: Sarpco crackdown

According to the consolidated report for Tugela operation for the whole country made available to Nyasa Times, police impounded vehicles which had been detected stolen from South Africa or whose chassis
numbers were tampered with.

The impounded vehicles ranged from Toyota fortuners, Toyota  double cabins, Toyota Hilux double cabins, Toyota Hilux single cabin, Benz, Toyota Hilux pick up, Audi, Toyota rainder.

A Chinese national, a Mr. Chai has been arrested in connection to one of the impounded vehicles, Toyota Fortuner registration KA 5875 (silver in colour).

Police have also arrested Christopher Maulidi who was found with a Toyota Fortuner registration BQ 6441 and Don Chinyundo who was found with Toyota Hilux pick-up registration BR 8020.

Under the same operation, the law-enforcers have arrested 23 for being found in possession of canabis sativa.

A Burundian, Rodney Mike, Anyuma J. Obina (Nigerian) and two others have been arrested for being found with counterfeit products such medical drugs groceries, cosmetics, cigarette.

Four people were arrested for operating clinics or pharmacies without licences while one person was found with greener rifle (No. 53821).

Police said 10 people who were on wanted list have been arrested on offences like house breaking/breaking into a building and committing felony therein.

Arrested for rogue and vagabond are 28, five people were found with fuel without licence, and three people were found with property suspected to have been stolen.

National Police publicist, Rhoda Manjolo has since advised the general public to be extra careful when buying or conducting businesses.

”People are being reminded to seek medical attention in hospitals or clinics which are licenced and buy standard products,” said Manjolo.

She hailed the support the general public gave during the course of the operation and appealed for that co operation.

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75 replies on “Police seize 20 ‘hot cars’ in Malawi, dozens arrested in Sarpco crackdown”

  1. Most of car theft and fake item distribution in Malawi is by foreigners. But one wonders
    how the city management keeps on offering plots to foreigners for personal rewards.
    Most Malawians apply for plots in say Lilongwe through City Offices, Malawi Housing and Department of Lands but alas even 9 years later none is given because they do not have
    money to palm-oil the officials. They foreigners do that.

    One wonders why the corruption organs cannot just get the list of those offered plots during the say past 10 years and cross check against the dates of application. They can also easily check on who applied when and who got the plots.

    Furthermore they can investigate the plots owned by the city, Malawi Housing and Department of lands top officials, either directly or through relatives. And how many have been sold out. I work in one of these offices – It’s alarming, obscene and very unfair. They have no fear of God or National laws.

  6. Our Government and Police are stupid. Why allow Sarpco come and harass Malawians. Did we sign any protocol with South Africans on that? What we know is that South Africans bring their cars here for sell and they go back to their country to claim Insurance. Those affected need just to hire a Lawyer who can track the issue from RSA in fact those south African police nod to be barred from doing that here, they are also responsible of ill treating our Nationals so why should we give them ground here.

  7. If hot cars means those cars that have been stolen then o to Moshko and recover thousands of Malawi cars there

  11. Dzuka Malawi dzuka, this people they fail to arrest the people that are bringing this cars there in their borders and they take advantage with poor Malawians who buy it here at home that’s why in Zimbabwe they told them to take there cars but they must refund the money to the people who bought them in Zimbabwe and they must go strengthen their borders because they will never let them come to disturb it’s citizens again.

  12. Why have you left Christopher Daziel who drives a fortuner? His number is 0999965224. Police has been bribed.

  13. Why have you left Christopher Daziel who driver a not fortuner? His number is 0999965224. Police has been bribed.

  15. The police and road traffic authorities should be taken to task for registering such cars .it is not good just to punish the buyer .I was in mangochi and I was told that minibuses belonging to Paseli are allowed to carry more than capacity because the owner owns the police and pays them bribes. One of the reasons we have high crime rate is because the police are working with thugs .if you make an independent assessment of the recent robberies you will notice that they were ochestrated by the police. Most police officer have stopped being proffessional .even our court are too corrupt and magistrate arrange with prosecutors to have criminals released after paying bribes. The whole system is rotten and needs an ovehaul and change of mindset

  18. Mwati a Malawi tizatukukadi? At least good to root out the criminals but 0/10 on impounding vehicles. We buy these from the owners in South Africa and impounding them here is like making us poorer.

    1. We have middle men who sell stolen cars in Malawi. 80% of those driving the stolen vehicles are aware about the status and most of the times they’re tipped when Interpol is coming. You cant buy a stolen car from south Africa and drive it to Malawi if you’re not a crook.

  23. Commentwina anagwidwa kwankando kumulanje ndimankhwala oposera k15,000,000 koma atuluka enawo muwatulutse mlandu alibe amenewo

  24. However many people in possession of these stolen cars are connected to Interpol and are forewarned to hide them. The risk is only for chance takers, big fish are still scot free.

  26. Comment. apa ndiye mwayitha, koma nkhani ya ma albino ikufunika seriousnes, kuthesa mchitidwe umenewu

  29. Zachidziwikile kuti Malawi akadali mtolo coz things like these we cannot allow to happenings koma kugona kwathuko mkumene kumatipangitsa kuvutika chinanso UFULU ndi umene ukubwelezetsa chitukuko mbuyo Malawi muzadzuka liti?

  30. I salute you Malawi Police Service. Keep it up until Our beautiful country become a better place for everyone. Malawians let us help the people in uniform to do their job properly. Thank you MPS

  31. Boma ndikumasekelela zofoilazo,naiko ena samapita bwanji kukapanga impound magalimotowo?koma kumalawi ndiye kumakuwonelela.

  36. we will later hear that they have all obtained their cars back even before proceeding to courts. Shame

  41. Okay so if you buy car Wich hapens to be stolen,You are part of the crime

    How about police who gives us interpol clearance?

    MRA who charges duty and gives us CCC?

    RTD who issues blue books ?

    They all facilitate it
    So how are they not part of this crime and why are the being left free ?

    Further they charge us fees

    Are they going to refund it?

    If their defence is they r doing it on the understanding of everything being ligit

    So r buyers!

    If buyers r culprits
    Than the malawi government is a bigger culprit

    The Government should be careful when allowing sarpco to do operations

    As all the legal charges, compensation and refunds will have to be paid by malawi government

    Not these guys who come and go

    But like always our government won’t think it thru
    Js do and allow things without for seeing consequences

    than pay 20 million for a car not worth 5

    And simply say

    ZINANGOLAKWIKA

  42. Vehicles impounded are the ones not on the local Interpol list. Those on the list knew of this operation a week before and all vehicles involved were hidden.

  44. It suprsing dat da stolen cars come upto Malawi from south Africa crossing all da borders through the interpol without discovering dat dare r stoten how funny

  45. If an honourable member of parliament can’t afford a new car from the dealers duty free for that matter. ..there is a big problem in this country. We have no choice but stealing

  47. let me agree with one point which has been already posted. what about moshiko ma galimoto amalowa ambiri nanga boma limatani?

    1. This is the most weird comment I have come across on the internet. Zoona apolisi for the first time have managed to stop thieves and some one is mourning. Zoona!

      Inuyo mumagula galimoto zobedwa why? You think kuba is normal life?! What’s gone wrong with Malawian mentality over the years… seems like everyone wants to emulate Muluzi and Mutharika – thieving!

  49. MPS KEEP IT UP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

  50. By buying stolen cars from south Africa you must know you are an accomplice to the crimes that ensue in the process of hijacking .
    And by default one would say this illicit trade is fuelling crime in South Africa .
    To suggest that impounding 20 cars should earn our law enforces ant credit is far too much .
    I will put it to the readers that almost 6 out 10 cars on our roads are stolen cars from south Africa . The problem is that people of highest repute are the ones driving these cars and enjoy impunity .

  53. Stolen cars and duly registered in MW??????????? How????????. At area 30 Police Hqrs there is a special section that clears the second hand vehicles before each one is registered by RTD. Lets hope these vehicles were given Reg. Nos behind our Inerpol Section at Police Hqtrs which is very possible at RTD. There have bn such incidents before.

  55. Kachama, good work. We are praying for your protection. God is on your side. Do the work without fear. Kasungu sangabereka mimphwepwa!

  58. Comment zopusa zokhazokha ,bwanji malawi kupepela chonchi ? Sangayelekeze kupita kwina koma kuno ? Mozambiq ,Zambia, D R C ayi koma kuno

  60. South African bring their cars here and sell them after that they go and report to their insurance companies.

  62. Ours are not leading by example
    Morally and ethically .
    Drunkards
    Womaniser
    gamblers
    Liars
    Money mongers
    Buy stolen cars
    Hand clappers
    Kaunjika dressers
    Rapists
    Witch doctors
    Fake pastors
    Homeless
    The list goes on and on

  64. Malawis econony is littred with stolen goods ranging from stolen cars , counterfeit drugs and fake designer clothes .

  65. Please go to the National Assembly and you will be shocked to discover that almost all MP. so have bought or driving still length cars . The cars models are BMW, FORD RANGERS MERCEDES BENZ toyota hiluxes toyota for tuners .

  66. Comment majority of malawians cant afford to buy a vehicle on the counter. I thought that at the point of entry into the country the police would have checked whether these vehicles are stolen or not. The rtd was supposed to have real time information about stolen vehicles. How many malawians have bought vehicles without knowing the original owner. We will all be arrested. Save us rtd , before registering the vehicles, check thoroughly with your colleagues in the region. If you register the vehicle our bellief is that everything is ok with the vehicle. The problem is where we are born, poorest country on the planet earth

  67. The problem is that South Africans sell the vehicles to unsuspecting Malawians and ask them to call them once they have been cleared at Beit Bridge! Once the excited buyer calls the seller that the car has been cleared and he has crossed the border the seller reports to Police that his vehicle has been stolen! Let me warn Malawians not to buy vehicles from newspaper adverts but from authorised used cars dealers, the mentioned models include Audi, Ford Ranger, VWs, Mazdas r to b bought at owners risk!

    1. The issue is not to discourage prospective buyers from buying cars based on newspaper adverts, but buyers should do a thorough check of any advertised car!

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