MDF, police foil maize smugglers

Malawi Defence Force and Police have intercepted 25 truckloads of maize destined for Tanzania amid an export ban of the commodity and Minister of Trade and Industry Mark Katsonga Phiri says he suspects some politicians of involvement.

The minister’s sentiments follow the interception of the trucks in the past two weeks carrying a combined 575 metric tonnes (MT) of maize heading for Tanzania.

In an interview yesterday, Katsonga Phiri said they have had several small interceptions in the recent past, but the current issue is unique in that owners of the said trucks and maize, whom he did not mention, could be connected to politicians.

He said: “Maybe this one has become an issue because the owners are all over talking to politicians and MRA [Malawi Revenue Authority] to get assistance. But, so long it is true that people were trying to smuggle, an offence has already been committed.

“I cannot discount the fact that a very good number of people in authority may be involved, because when you start talking to politicians yet you know that you have committed an offence that is one way of proving your guilt. Certainly, some people in authority may be involved but the law has no borders, it will catch up with anybody.”

Katsonga Phiri further said he is advocating for rules which will be punishing all those officers in roadblocks where such goods will be crossing without due checking, wondering how trucks from Lilongwe would be impounded in Karonga after crossing several roadblocks.

MDF spokesperson Major Calvin Mlelemba and Ministry of Transport spokesperson Mayeso Msokera confirmed in separate interviews yesterday that maize trucks were intercepted in Karonga and Chitipa districts.

Mlelemba said: “I can confirm that trucks carrying maize were intercepted in the Northern Region and according to information obtained, they were heading to Chitipa and Karonga.

“However, the drivers failed to produce papers on the destination of the maize which raised suspicion that they were trying to export it illegally through Ilomba and Songwe Border Posts.”

Msokera said the exercise has been ongoing for two weeks and that the first eight trucks carrying a combined 65 metric tonnes (MT) of maize were intercepted last week in Chitipa by police.

He said the trucks were intercepted by MDF officers at Meru Garrison in Chitipa while nine were cornered at Chilumba Barracks in Karonga as they headed to Chitipa.

“These transporters are carrying maize as if it is heading to Chitipa, but when it gets there they offload and load it at night into trucks heading to Tanzania, which is pure smuggling,” said Msokera.

He said the ministry has also engaged the Ministry of Agriculture to be strict when issuing movement licences for maize.

Msokera said the goods will now be subjected to the full process of the law like through the Control of Goods Act to be handled by police, but also Customs and Excise Act to be handled by the Malawi Revenue Authority (MRA).

National Police spokesperson Peter Kalaya said they were doing their best to ensure that the maize is not smuggled out of the country.

He said: “Not all trucks heading up North are for smuggling. But we have trucks that have licences showing that they are carrying maize to Chitipa, legally, yet when they get that side they have intentions to smuggle.

“So, it is not possible to know that someone wants to smuggle until you get them to Chitipa or Karonga when they want to take the maize outside Malawi.”

Ministry of Agriculture officials did not respond to our calls.

Maize exports remain banned in the country and the alleged illegal exports come at a time Malawi is facing a food shortage with about 3.8 million people in need of relief food.

In the face of the ban, smuggling and aiding smugglers of maize is deemed a threat to Malawi’s food security, but is also a criminal offence under the Control of Goods Act (2020).

Further, Section 50 (1) of the Customs & Excise Act stipulates that subject to subsection (2) no goods shall be exported contrary to the provisions of any written law prohibiting or restricting the exportation of such goods.