The Dowa Police have arrested eleven vendors for allegedly defying farm gate prices and other related produce trading offenses.

Mponela police spokesperson, Kaitano Lubrino, has confirmed the development saying the suspects were arrested at Mponela, Tchawale, and Mtsilo Trade Centres during a special police operation conducted yesterday, April 19, and today, April 20.

During the exercise, police discovered that some vendors were buying maize and soybeans without licenses and below the set government minimum prices, according to Lubrino.

The Police have since confiscated weighing scales for the eleven suspects.

The eleven have been identified as Cecilia Banda, 33, Gaweni Makuluni, 31, Hezekiah Khaki, 28, Chimwemwe Alick, 22, Kondwani Yeremia 21, Joseph Kuseni, 37, Nsanide Phiri, 24, Sike Chikagwe, 38, Lloyd Kumwenda, 27, Tasiyana Khalidwe, 20 and Jeffrey Efelemu, 19.