Illegal fuel sale leads to arrest of 11 men

Police in Ntchisi have arrested eleven people suspected of engaging in the illegal sale of motor vehicle fuel without a license.

According to Ntchisi Police spokesperson Salomy Zgambo, the suspects aged between 18 and 46 were picked up during a special operation in the district.

During the raid, police also confiscated drums of fuel believed to have been used in the unlawful trade.

Zgambo said the suspects, identified as Aaron Ziguya, Sina Saindi, Maxwell Chunga and eight others, will soon appear before court to answer charges related to illegal fuel trading.

The arrests come amid concerns over the growing black-market fuel trade, which authorities say not only undermines licensed fuel dealers but also endangers communities through unsafe storage and handling practices.