Police seize 360 bags of suspected illicit sugar

Police in Garissa on Thursday impounded a lorry along the Disso-Garissa road loaded with suspected contraband sugar.

Garissa County Commissioner Meru Mwangi said the 360-bag consignment of 25kg bags of sugar, which were believed to be from neighbouring Somalia, were destined for wholesale stores in Garissa town.

Speaking to the press today after inspecting the consignment at the Garissa Police Station, Mr Mwangi said police had launched investigations.

He said a Probox saloon car that was ahead of the truck, and which could have been carrying the owners of the sugar, made a quick U-turn when its driver spotted the police and sped off.

The police boss said they were holding the driver and turnboy of the truck for interrogation, adding that they were also looking for the owner of the lorry

“The owner(s) of the consignment and the vehicle can run but they cannot hide. We will catch up with them sooner rather than later. The good thing is that we already have the consignment."

Mwangi said the Government would not relent in its war on contraband goods, adding that the illegal imports not only denied the Government revenue but also exposed citizens to health risks.

“We want to thank the public for working closely with security agencies by providing information that has, time and again, led to the arrest and seizure of contraband goods,” he said.

The seizure and arrests come barely a month after North Eastern Regional Commissioner Mohamed Birik warned rogue Government officials who collude with unscrupulous businessmen to allow contraband goods into the country that stern disciplinary action would be taken against them.

Mr Birik said the Government would not hesitate to sack and prosecute such officials.

Cases of contraband goods finding their way into the country from Somalia remain a challenge for the security personal manning the porous and expansive border.