Police in Lilongwe are keeping in custody four men for allegedly producing, distributing and selling liquor products contrary to sections 27, 28, 29 and 44 of the Malawi Bureau of Standards (MBS) Act.
Kanengo Police Station deputy spokesperson Esther Mkwanda said the four are Patrick Patel, 40, Ragesn Raju Kanumuri, 31, Ruinwanal Redty, 28, and Paul Katsabola, 30.
She said the suspects are being accused of contravening laws which prohibit the production of liquor packed in plastic bottles.
“The suspects were arrested on Sunday, September 10 2017, following a joint operation involving the Malawi Police Service and Malawi Bureau of Standards. The officers invaded Jaisai Investment, a liquor manufacturing company owned by Malawians of Indian origin, located in Area 28 in Lilongwe, where they confiscated 19 460 litres of super strong spirit liquor which was packed in 973 cartons, each containing four-litre plastic bottles,” said Mkwanda.
In 2015, activists pushed for the complete ban of spirits packed in sachets but manufacturers started selling in five-litre bottles. n
