Police in Malawi are searching for nine suspects who escaped from custody after they were arrested for allegedly smuggling charcoal in a hearse disguised as part of a funeral procession.
Forestry officials intercepted the vehicle at a routine roadblock in Chikwawa district, about 40 kilometres south of Blantyre, acting on a tip-off.
Inside the hearse, officers found an empty coffin placed over about 30 bags of charcoal valued at roughly $1,700 (£1,200), according to Reuters.
But the funeral company involved disputes the smuggling claim.
Speaking to the BBC, company manager Patrick Dimba said the driver had returned from visiting a bereaved family with one unused coffin when he bought 11 bags of charcoal.
He insisted there were no passengers in the vehicle at the time of the stop.
Forestry official William Mitembe described the operation as “the most complex illegal charcoal trafficking case in the country’s history.”
Another official, Hector Nkawihe, said the suspects were briefly detained but later escaped custody, abandoning the impounded hearse. Police say they face charges of illegal possession and transportation of forestry products and could receive up to five years in prison if convicted.
Charcoal smuggling is widespread in Malawi, where most households rely on it for cooking due to frequent electricity outages.
The trade is a major contributor to deforestation. Last month, fuel prices rose by more than 40% for the second time in four months, adding pressure to an economy President Peter Mutharika has pledged to revive.