Tonnes of mealie meal impounded in Kapiri Mponshi

Tonnes of mealie meal impounded in Kapiri Mponshi

Kapiri Mposhi, March 29, 2013, ZANIS — Mealie meal smugglers have continued facing from the strong arm of the law with the latest being in Kapiri Mponshi where Police seized 400 by 25 Kilograms of the commodity which was destined for a neighbouring country.

The police have also arrested a 27-year-old man identified as David Mandona in connection with the commodity.

ZANIS reports that Central Province Commissioner of Police, Standwel Lungu confirmed the development in an interview, today.

Mr. Lungu said the staple food is believed to have been destined for smuggling to a neighbouring country.

The bags were stacked and concealed in Mandona’s house in East Park residential area.

Mr. Lungu said the police seized the mealie-meal after they raided Mandona’s house following a tip off from members of the public.

Mr. Mandona did not have receipts and failed to explain to police how he came in possession of the mealie-meal.

“ We have arrested a man who was found in possession with 400 bags of mealie-meal stacked in his house and did not explain exactly why he had that amount of mealie meal at once”, Mr.Lungu said.

Mandona will appear in court soon.

Some people and businessmen in the country are hoarding and illegally exporting mealie-meal to the DRC.

Police officers and other security wings have intensified patrols in border points to curb the smuggling of mealie meal into neighbouring Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Parliament heard recently.

Already, a huge consignment of mealie meal is marooned in about 20 shops on the Zambian side at Kasumbalesa border post as shop owners have locked and abandoned their premises following intensified Police patrols in Chililabombwe aimed at curbing smuggling.

Chiliabombwe District Commissioner Stuart Chitumbo has since appealed to the shop owners to avail themselves as they would only be allowed to sell their consignments at the government recommended retail prices in designated trading areas within Chililabombwe.