KFS impounds buses loaded with illegal charcoal in Garsen-Malindi highway

CHARCOAL-BUS-IMPOUNDED; a Mombasa -Lamu bound bus at the Malindi Police station in Kilifi County on Saturda ( Nehemiah Okwembah,Standard]

MALINDI, KENYA: Kenya Forest Service (KFS) officers in Malindi have impounded three buses that were ferrying 95 bags of charcoal and arrested the drivers and conductors.
 
The officers laid an ambush at Gongoni along the Malindi-Garsen highway where the buses were flagged down and upon a search charcoal discovered.
 
Malindi KFS Base Commander Harrison Afuata said that no passenger was found culpable of the transportation in the three buses but the buses crew were arrested and found to be the ones behind the consignments.
 
One of the buses was plying the Mombasa- Hola route and two were plying the Mombasa- Lamu route where Tana coach was found carrying 13 bags, Simba coach was carrying 52 bags while Shirikisho had over 40 bags.
 
“We had a successful operation along Malindi- Garsen highway and arrested the drivers and conductors who will be taken to court on Monday and I want to thank the Magarini Charcoal Producers Association for helping us succeed in the operation,” he said.
 
Afuata warned bus companies against disobeying a government order saying that stern action will be taken on individual companies if they fail to adhere to the rules.
 
The arrest comes barely a week after the Magarini Charcoal Producers Association officials in collaboration with Kenya Forest Service officers intercepted a lorry carrying 50 bags of charcoal at Dakabuko area in Magarini Sub County and arrested 30 people.
 
The joint patrol also saw the destruction of more than 100 kilns that had been prepared to produce charcoal.
 
Afuata said that several makeshift homesteads have been established at the Dakacha woodland forest that covers close to 200,000 acres and they are used by the charcoal burners when carrying out the illegal activities.