Roadblock Vigilance Foils Suspected Arms Smuggling Bid in Chikwawa

Police in Chikwawa have arrested two Mozambican nationals and recovered an assortment of firearms and offensive weapons following a routine inspection at Kamuzu Bridge Roadblock on Sunday.

The suspects have been identified as 25-year-old Julio Aromado and 30-year-old Steven George.

Police Public Relations Officer Senior Superintendent Gladys Chiwaula said officers became suspicious after the two men allegedly attempted to evade the roadblock.

A subsequent search led to the recovery of an AK-47 rifle, two pistols, a Heckler & Koch firearm, a pick, a panga knife and a pound hammer.

Chiwaula said the Malawi Police Service (MPS) would continue intensifying checks along border routes to curb the illegal movement of firearms and other offensive weapons.

She warned that anyone found in possession of illegal firearms and offensive weapons would face the full force of the law.

Chiwaula also highlighted the ongoing firearms amnesty, which allows members of the public to surrender illegal firearms without prosecution, urging those still in possession of unlicensed weapons to surrender them before the amnesty period expires.

The MPS has further appealed to members of the public to report suspicious individuals or activities to the nearest police formation.