Maputo — The Mozambican police on Tuesday found a large amount of stolen rails and other railway material in a Chinese-owned foundry in the Ceramica neighbourhood of the central city of Beira, according to a report in the independent daily "O Pais".

The rail director of the central division of the publicly owned port and railway company (CFM-Centro), Boaventura Mahave, said the material had been stolen from the lines linking the port of Beira to Zimbabwe, and to the Moatize coal basin in Tete province.

It has long been believed that metallic parts stolen from CFM, like metallic parts of electricity pylons, are sold to foundries which have sprung up recently in Beira and the neighbouring town of Dondo.

According to "O Pais", the lawyer for the Chinese company, Jose Capassura, has claimed it is too early to conclude that the metal rods produced by the foundry are made out of stolen materials.

The police have promised to investigate the case further, taking into account that the foundry acquired the raw material for making rods at night.