Police in Mangochi over the weekend intensified farm-gate enforcement measures at Makanjira, Katuli, Malindi, Chilipa, Namwera and Monkey-Bay where they impounded six motor vehicles found transporting farm produce.
Three among the impounded vehicles, registration numbers DA3880 carrying 400 bags, BU2383, were carrying 600 bags while BW5107 was carrying 400 bags of maize. The trucks were intercepted at Koche roadblock by officers who were executing their duties.
Mangochi Police Station Publicist Amina Tepani Daudi said the three trucks were impounded because owners of the farm produce violated conditions of their licences which did not allow them to buy or sell their farm produce in Mangochi.
Daudi added that the fourth motor vehicle Scania truck registration number MH8667 carrying 400 bags of maize was intercepted by officers at Katuli border as the truck was using uncharted routes to Mozambique.
“The truck was impounded for violating farm-gate regulations of not exporting farm produce outside the country without a permit”, she explained
She also said the fifth motor vehicle ERF 10 tonner truck registration number BY9918 was intercepted at Liwesa Roadblock in Makanjira heading to Mangochi boma carrying 130 bags of unshelled groundnuts.
According to Daudi, the officers impounded the motor vehicle after noticing that the conditions of the trader’s licence only allowed him to buy farm produce from Mzimba district.
Daudi went on to say that officers from Malamia Camp also intercepted a 2 tonner Toyota Dyna registration number MH6135 carrying 40 bags of groundnuts from Makanjira heading to Blantyre.
The officers scrutinized the licence which only allowed the trader to buy farm produce from Blantyre hence the motor vehicle was impounded.
The team also arrested Frackson Betha from Kasungu who was buying maize in Namwera at a price of K100 per kilogramme without licence defying the minimum price set by the government.
They also confiscated five weighing scales in Chilipa from four traders which were being used without certification of the Malawi Bureau of Standards.
The traders will appear before court to answer their charges after the completion of paperwork.
Mangochi Police Station has since assured the public in general and farmers in particular of continued enforcement operations to protect farm produce from being smuggled outside the country.
