The security agencies launched the joint operation on Friday at Nkhata Bay jetty patrolling all parts of Lake Malawi using MDF warships.

Leader of the naval flotilla MDF Lieutenant Colonel Kelvin Soko says the idea is to enhance security on the porous Lake Malawi stretch and control illegal movement of people from neighboring Tanzania and Mozambique on the borderlines.

Lieutenant Colonel Soko said: “The move is one of several government interventions aimed at containing further spread of the coronavirus in the country. We’ll be intercepting, interrogating and in some instances providing escort to to mainland for coronavirus screening.”

Assistant Commissioner of Immigration Comas Kamwana is optimistic this joint initiative will yield better results.

“You can bear witness that this is the first time our security agencies have conducted a joint operation on Lake Malawi and I have the impression that this will be successful,” said Kamwana.

A similar joint operation on the mainland at Songwe border post in Karonga has seen the Malawi Defense Force, Malawi police and the Immigration department, intercepting scores of illegal immigrants jumping border using unchartered routes into Malawi.