Chibuku Products has urged court authorities to make stricter penalties for liquor/beer smugglers.

This was an observation after Mchinji Magistrate Court charged 17 smugglers with 3 months jail sentences each, or pay a K20,000 fine.

Addressing the fine as lenient, CPL Human Resource and Corporate Affairs Manager, Gloria Zimba said that beer industries have lost 35% of sales due to such beer smugglers.

Malawi Revenue Authority had recently announced an intensified border inspection and patrol, to combat smuggling, which have been successful as various items have been confiscated, but it seems the remaining task is to intensify penalties for smugglers.