In September 2024, the national authorities seized 50 weapons of war imported by a company affiliated to the current Minister of the Interior, Paulo Chachine.

Supposedly, the company Nello Gonçalves Filho Espingardaria e Carreira de Tiros, limitadaHe made false declarations in order to import the war material.

According to the Center for Public Integrity (CIP), the company claimed that they were hunting weapons, when in fact they were weapons of war.

"The Mozambican Tax Authority requested, through note no. 381/AT/DGA-GDG/419/2024, of September 20, 2024, that the Ministry of the Interior send technicians to physically examine the weapons it had retained at Mavalane Airport," reads a CIP publication.

According to the CIP, the Nello Gonçalves Filho Espingardaria e Carreira de Tiros, limitada obtained an exclusive guarantee for the distribution of weapons from a Turkish manufacturer, Sasa Defense Industry, which manufactures and distributes arms and ammunition. Through an agreement, the company associated with Paulo Chachine became the representative of Sasa Defense Industry in Mozambique through the Turkish company's subsidiary in South Africa, Panzer Arms.

The agreement - a letter dated August 14, 2023 - required a minimum purchase of 1,000 weapons from Panzer Arms between July 10, 2023 and July 10, 2024.

"The document bears a stamp from the Turkish company and details that the weapons to be purchased are semi-automatic and Pump rifles," says the CIP.

For the civil society organization, this is a blatant sign that government entities from a certain sector can favour their companies operating in that area. Despite this perspective, it should be noted that "Chachine created the company with the citizen Pedro Manuel Prazeres Gonçalves, one month after starting his duties as Commander of the Order and Security Branch of the Police, on March 12, 2021".