/ 24 January 2001

SMUGGLERS THREATEN MOZ WITH FOOT-AND-MOUTH

SWAZI farmers are selling beef from foot-and-mouth areas to smugglers, threatening to spread the disease to Mozambique. Mozambique, which has remained clear of the disease, banned all beef imports from Swaziland and South Africa in December, shortly after foot-and-mouth was detected in its southern African neighbours. Swaziland farm ministry sources said meat was being smuggled into Mozambique from the Lubombo region in eastern Swaziland, where the disease was acute. – Reuters