AUTHORITIES in Solwezi district have intercepted three trucks laden with an undisclosed number of 50 kilogram bags of maize believed to have been destined for the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
North Western Province Minister Robert Lihefu has warned that security wings in the region were not going to relent in curbing the illegal smuggling of maize as it risked compromising the province’s food security.
Mr. Lihefu said the trucks which were carrying an undisclosed number of 50 kilogram bags of white maize allegedly destined for the neighbouring country were using undesignated routes.
“We have caught (impounded) three trucks carrying maize that were on the verge of leaving the country to the DRC using illegal routes and the trucks are stationed at the police station,” he said.
Mr. Lihefu said his office was not going to take lightly attempts by anyone to smuggle the country’s staple food as it has the potential to compromise the region’s food security.
The Minister revealed that some unscrupulous people had taken advantage of the region’s porous borders to smuggle maize to other countries.
And Mr. Lihefu warned farmers in the region to be wary of briefcase buyers that had started flocking to the province following the opening of the crop marketing season by the Food Reserve Agency (FRA).
Mr. Lihefu advised the farmers to only sell their produce to FRA as it was offering favourable prices. – ZANIS
