Police in Malawi on manhunt for nine suspects for smuggling charcoal in a hearse

Police in Malawi are searching for nine suspects who escaped from custody after allegedly smuggling charcoal in a hearse disguised as part of a funeral procession.

 

Forestry officials intercepted the vehicle at a roadblock near the commercial city of Blantyre, acting on a tip-off.

 

Inside the hearse, officers reportedly found an empty coffin placed over several bags of charcoal, estimated to be worth about one thousand seven hundred dollars.

Officials say around thirty bags of charcoal were concealed underneath the coffin during the operation.

A forestry officer described the incident as one of the most complex illegal charcoal trafficking cases in Malawi’s history.

However, the funeral service involved has denied wrongdoing.

The company manager, Patrick Dimba, told the BBC that the hearse driver was returning from visiting a bereaved family with two coffins and later bought several bags of charcoal on his way back.

He insisted there were no passengers in the vehicle when it was stopped.

Meanwhile, police say the suspects were briefly detained but later escaped, leaving behind the impounded hearse.

Authorities say they could face charges of illegal possession and transportation of forestry products, offences that carry a penalty of up to five years in prison or a fine if convicted.

The illegal charcoal trade remains widespread in Malawi, driven largely by high demand for cooking fuel, frequent electricity blackouts, and rising fuel prices.