• Smugglers use coffins to hide coal in Malawi
• Inspection uncovers 30 bags of coal under empty coffin

Malawi police have been searching for nine suspects who fled custody after being arrested for smuggling coal concealed under a coffin inside a hearse, disguised as part of funeral proceedings.

Authorities set up a checkpoint near the capital, Lilongwe, where they discovered an empty coffin with several bags of coal on top, valued at around $1,700.

In a different account, the director of a funeral service explained that the driver was returning from a family with a deceased relative after delivering two coffins for selection and had purchased 11 bags of coal on his way back. He confirmed no other passengers were in the hearse when it was stopped.

However, a police spokesperson said the nine suspects remain at large after fleeing custody.

The suspects face two charges of illegal possession and transport of forest products, punishable by up to five years in prison or a fine.

Coal smuggling in Malawi is common, often used for cooking amid repeated power outages.

Recently, Malawi has recorded a rise in petrol and diesel prices of more than 40%.

President Peter Mutharika, who returned to power last year, is seeking to revive Malawi’s struggling economy.