Plastic bags seized in operation

50 bales of polythene bags police in Busia seized on April 9, 2019 while parked in the vehicle together with crates of eggs. [Ignatius Odanga/Standard]

Police have impounded at least 50 bales of polythene bags in an operation against contraband goods.

The bags were discovered hidden among crates of eggs in a Kisii-bound vehicle.

Busia Sub-county OCPD Josephine Mbane said all vehicles from Uganda will now undergo a thorough inspection before leaving the border points.

According to Ms Mbane, the bags were being taken to Kisii town. The owner of the vehicle was arrested.

“Police are on alert, let unscrupulous traders not think we do not know the new tricks they are using to smuggle contraband goods from Uganda,” Mbane said.

She noted that the idea for the police to work with the public had led to the discovery of the polythene bags.

“The vehicle was intercepted after a member of the public tipped police on what it was carrying,” said Mbane.

Cross-border smuggling

National Environment Management Authority (Nema) Director General Geoffrey Wahungu and County Commissioner Jacob Narengo witnessed the seizure of the bags.

The confiscation of the polythene bags comes barely a month after police in Busia seized another 22,000 similar bags hidden among crates of eggs.

Mr Wahungu said the fight against polythene bags was being undermined by cross-border smuggling.

The Nema boss noted that unscrupulous traders were buying the bags in Uganda and Tanzania, where they are still legal, and sneaking them into the country.

“The ban on polythene bags has been successful, especially for the large carrier bags. But it is being undermined by cross-border smuggling,” Wahungu said.

After the seizure of the 50 bales, police and officers from Kenya Revenue Authorities later impounded cigarettes worth Sh306,000 in Marachi estate.