Tete, Mozambique, Sept. 24, 2026 (Lusa) - Two people have been arrested for illegally transporting 117 explosive devices and their detonators in the central Mozambican province of Tete, police authorities have reported, suspecting that the material was intended for use in illegal mining.
«These are individuals who were apprehended by the police whilst they were illegally transporting a significant quantity of explosives and their detonators,» said Feliciano da Câmara, the police spokesperson in Tete province.
He explained to journalists that the suspects were transporting the materials in a semi-public passenger vehicle travelling from Manica to Tete, in central Mozambique, with the police vowing to step up monitoring and crack down on all forms of crime in the province.
«What the police also want to prevent is the use of these substances to fuel practices such as illegal mining, which is still taking place in some parts of our province,» said the spokesperson.
The devices were seized on 12 September, when Mozambican president Daniel Chapo stated that the approval, in the coming days, of the regulations for the new Mining Act would enable the sector to be reorganised and control over mining activities to be strengthened in order to prevent accidents associated with illegal mining, following the deaths of at least nine people in a landslide during mining operations in the centre of the country.
According to Daniel Chapo, the new regulations are expected to strengthen the mechanisms for monitoring and controlling mining activity, helping to reduce incidents caused by the illegal exploitation of mineral resources in other provinces as well, including Manica in the centre of the country.
In 2025, the Government suspended the licences of mining companies due to environmental irregularities, including the absence of land rehabilitation plans and waste containment systems, following a report by the police highlighting a situation of «uncontrolled mining» in Manica.
However, according to information released by the Government in August, 30 of the 41 mining companies whose licences were suspended in the province have now resumed operations, having complied with environmental requirements and mining regulations, whilst the remainder remain under review.
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