Malawi Bureau of Standards (MBS) has addressed and bemoaned the increase of smuggled and uncertified goods on the local market.

During a visit to Songwe border ahead of the construction of a one stop border post facility, MBS Director General, Symon Mandala, said people are importing goods, using uncharted routes, which has negative implications on the health of citizens. For instance, last year in February, the Ministry of Trade warned that smuggled sugar does not contain Vitamin A, therefore putting consumer’s health at risk. Among others, the lack of vitamin A impairs insulin production and causes inflammation.

“We have products on the market that are not approved or registered with the Malawi Bureau of Standards.” said Mandala,  “this means we are losing revenue and secondly we are also subjecting our consumers to substandard products, because nobody has checked and authenticated those products”. Recently, the Minister of Trade, Sosten Gwengwe, revealed that his ministry is considering the deployment of Malawi Defense Force (MDF) soldiers to act against the smuggling of goods on the country’s borders. “We are meeting MDF and MPS next week to see how best they can help us because some traders are becoming mafias. We want to deal with the vice for once and for all,” Gwengwe said.