The article argues that there is a direct link between corruption and organised crime. A case study of the Malawi fertiliser subsidy programme is used to highlight the fact that corruption not only gives rise to organised criminal groups but also acts as a lubricant for the effective operation and survival of such groups. In this regard, the prevailing corruption has given rise to organised criminal groups who have hijacked the whole process and either smuggled the subsidised fertiliser to other countries or took it for their personal use. The problem has been exacerbated by the international dimensions of the crime and the fact that traditional leaders, politicians and government officials have been key players in the process, thereby intensifying the corruption/organised crime nexus