Two nabbed in Karonga over illegal fuel

Police in Malawi’s northern border district of Karonga on Monday arrested Baker’s Pride driver and assistance for illegally transporting over 2,000 litters of petroleum products without a license.

Karonga Police Station Officer Almakio Daka identified the suspects as George Mambuli 37 of Mabuka village Traditional Authority Mabuka in Mulanje and Mark Mhango 32 of Traditional Authority Mwalweni in Rumphi.

According to Daka, the vehicle registration number BS 3110 was distributing bakery products to its customers at Songwe border and when coming back the car carried 28 drums of petrol and diesel.

He said police arrested the two after “a tip off from the public.”

“We set up a road block and after searching the car which had crates of bread, we found 28 assorted drums of both petrol and diesel of 2160 litters.”

During interrogation, the driver told police that the vehicle was just transporting the products.

“According to the driver, they were asked to transport the fuel to Rumphi at Chinyolo trading centre, however failed to identify the owners of the products as such we are now investigating the owners while keeping the two in custody and  detaining the vehicle together with the 28 drums are at  our police station,” Daka said.

Daka expressed worry with the conduct saying “it is so bad that a vehicle which carries food is also indulged into transporting illegal goods especially fuel which is dangerous to people’s healthy.”

According to police spokesman,  this is not the first time the vehicle has been involved in the wrong side of the law as last year the same vehicle was found smuggling cattle.

The value of the petroleum products has been estimated to be at one million Malawi kwacha.