On Friday, the police authorities in Zambézia province, in the center of the country, seized three horse-drawn trucks loaded with around 30 tons of lepidolite each, an ore from which lithium is extracted and used to produce batteries and electric cars.

According to the newspaper SundayThe case took place in the district of Niacoada, in the town of Nantete, and when the truck drivers realized the presence of the police they fled, but two of them left the keys to their vehicles at the scene, which allowed them to be taken to the Nicoadala Tax Office.

"The owners of the vehicles didn't have exploration licenses, but they did have sales licenses," the publication reads, stressing that in order to carry out their intentions, they paid 10 meticais per kilogram of ore to some members of the community.