Immigration officers on Likoma Island have arrested a Tanzanian woman and a Malawian man for alleged human trafficking of five people to Mozambique.

Acting District Immigration Officer for Likoma, Darton Msukwa, says the five include three minors, aged 14 to 18; and two adult women, aged 24 and 36.

Msukwa said the arrests were possible after a tip-off while issuing border passes at Mbamba Bay that the five were being transported from Nkhotakota to restaurants in Mozambique.

The suspects have been identified as Yakin Japhet, 43, from Mangochi district; and Loveness Joseph, 31, from Tanzania.

Likoma Police Officer-in-Charge, Spensor Jinja, says, however, the suspects are in custody as investigations continue to determine whether this was indeed a human trafficking case.