TCC fights tobacco smuggling
Malawi Tobacco Control Commission (TCC) in partnership with the Malawi Police Service are confiscating weighing scales from intermediate tobacco buyers in Lilongwe and Mchinji as one way of controlling the smuggling of the leaf which is rampant in the districts.
TCC chief executive officer Bruce Munthali confirmed the development in an interview last week, saying the country is losing a lot of revenue through smuggling.
“This weekend we were in Mchinji and Lilongwe rural and 16 scales were confiscated.
“What we want is to stop vending because tobacco is a protected crop. The vendors are buying the leaf between K40 (about $0.40) and K250 (about $0.64) which is a huge rip off,” said Munthali.
He added that if farmers took the same quality of tobacco it would fetch them between K350 (about $0.89) and K370 (about $0.94) per kilogramme.
Munthali said tobacco smuggling is rampant in Mchinji, Mzimba, Mangochi, Kasungu and Dedza, hoping the tendency would be reduced with this initiative.
Mchinji Police public relations officer Moses Nyirenda also confirmed in an interview that they are working hand-in-hand with TCC in curbing tobacco smuggling.
“In Mozambique, the tobacco markets have already opened and this is why we have this exercise to stop smuggling.
“Sometimes we partner Limbe Leaf officials in the exercise, but what I can say is that it is bearing fruits,” said Nyirenda.
