Police impound plastic bags worth Sh600, 000 at Busia border

County Environmental Officer Moses Ombogo displaying some of the plastic bags seized at the Busia customs on April 12, 2018. [Photo by Ignatius Odanga/Standard]

Border police yesterday seized 36 bales of plastic bags that were entering the country from Uganda.

Moses Ombogo from the National Environment Management Authority (Nema) said the polythene bags were destined for Nakuru.

He estimated the 432,000 pieces to be worth Sh600, 000.

The driver and conductor of the bus ferrying the bags were arrested. Mr Ombogo said this was the fourth incident the agency was handling in the county. He noted that the porous borders were making it difficult to stop smuggling of the banned bags.

“But we are alert and we shall ensure that no plastic bags come into the country through Customs."

Porous borders

Fishmongers and fruit sellers still use polythene bags to wrap their merchandise.

In Matayos, Busia OCPD Masai Makau said police had arrested four people linked to last week’s incident where the houses of a pastor alleged to have stolen five cows in Lwero village were burned.

“Once we are through with investigations we shall arraign the suspects in court,” said Mr Makau.

The officer said all roadblocks in the county had been suspended to allow the police to conduct an unspecified investigation.

“There is a trend we want to study keenly and eliminate. That is why we have removed the roadblocks. But once we are through we shall return them,” said Makau.