At least nine people are on the run after they were caught smuggling charcoal in a hearse, complete with a fake funeral procession, Malawi police and forestry officials said on Monday.

Charcoal smuggling is common in the southern African country and is a major driver of rampant deforestation, although this method of transporting illicit goods is relatively new.

Forestry officers acted on a tip to intercept the "funeral" procession at a roadblock, a forestry official in Chikwawa, 40 km (25 miles) south of the commercial city of Blantyre, told Reuters.

Inside the hearse, they found an empty casket and about 30 large bags of charcoal packed beneath it, totalling 3 million Malawian kwacha ($1,747), said Chikwawa district forestry officer Hector Nkawihe.

If found guilty, the suspects face up to five years in prison or fines, he said. Most Malawians rely on charcoal for cooking as electricity blackouts are common.

The suspects were briefly detained but later escaped custody, leaving the impounded hearse behind, Nkawihe said.

"They face two charges of illegal possession of forestry products and transportation of the same," he said.

A police spokesman confirmed the incident to Reuters and said the suspects remained at large and had not yet been charged.