ZNS Intercepts 1,200 Smuggled Mealie Meal Bags

The Zambia National (ZNS) have intercepted a truck in Chililabombwe smuggling 1,200 bags of mealie meal to the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).

The Tanzanian truck was stopped at the Konkola checkpoint along the Chililabombwe-Kasumbalesa main road on Sunday night. It purportedly contained mining equipment bound for the DRC but was in fact carrying Bwino brand mealie meal from Kitwe’s Chimwemwe Township.

Chililabombwe district commissioner Roy Ngosa has warned would-be smugglers that an anti-smuggling task-force is working round the clock in the district. 

ZNS Copperbelt commanding officer Chishala Mulnega said officers had already been successful in apprehending such criminals.

“So far, we have intercepted three Tanzanian trucks. It is a cartel as the trucks have fake ZRA seals from the same batch. I want to warn all the drivers of the containerized trucks that we shall be opening the seals,“ he said.

He explained that officers had become suspicious of the truck on Sunday night after the driver attempted to bribe US$ 150, prompting them to call in Zambia Revenue Authority (ZRA) officers to open the seals of the truck.