Fake Funeral Busted – Charcoal Smugglers Use Coffin to Hide Illegal Cargo in Chikwawa
Published on February 16, 2026 at 2:56 PM by Evance Kapito
Authorities in Chikwawa have uncovered a shocking charcoal smuggling scheme in which traffickers staged a fake funeral procession to transport illegal charcoal.
Forestry officers intercepted a hearse at the Thabwa Roadblock over the weekend after receiving a tip from concerned citizens about a suspicious convoy S in a coaster written Serenity Funeral Services.
. Inside the vehicle, officers found an empty coffin placed on top of loose charcoal that had been loaded in Ngabu and covered with a green funeral carpet commonly used at burial sites.
Deputy Director of Forestry for Zone South, William Mitembe, described the case as the most complex illegal charcoal trafficking operation the country has seen.
“The vehicle is a hearse. It travelled to Ngabu where charcoal was loaded into the vehicle. The charcoal was wrapped with the green carpet used during funerals at the burial site and on top sat the coffin,” Mitembe said.
He added that people were even singing as if in a real funeral procession to avoid suspicion.
The operation was foiled after forestry officers thoroughly searched the hearse, opened the coffin and discovered it was empty before uncovering the hidden charcoal beneath the funeral carpet. Authorities say investigations are ongoing as the fight against illegal charcoal trade intensifies.
Source:Times360Malawi
