Sh402,500 illegal sugar impounded, five arrested in Lamu
Lamu County police commander Muchangi Kioi (right) and Lamu West OCS Paul Mbithi display one of the bags of illegal sugar impounded in the county at Lamu West Police Station on Thursday June 21, 2018. PHOTO | KALUME KAZUNGU | NATION MEDIA GROUP
What you need to know:
- Forty-four bags of illegal sugar were netted in Mpeketoni while 33 bags were seized in Kiunga town on the border of Somalia.
Another three and a half bags of contraband sugar were nabbed in one of the stores in Lamu Old town.
Locals in Lamu Old town have also raised concern over suspicious goods which being sold in the town and its environs.
Five suspects have been arrested and impounded illegal sugar worth Sh402,500 in Lamu County in a crackdown on Wednesday evening and Thursday morning.
Lamu County police commander Muchangi Kioi said 44 bags of illegal sugar were netted in Mpeketoni while 33 bags were seized in Kiunga town on the border of Somalia.
Another three and a half bags of contraband sugar were nabbed in one of the stores in Lamu Old town.
SHOPKEEPERS
“We have netted 80.5 bags of contraband sugar in Lamu which estimated to cost Sh402,500. We received a tip off from the public that substandard sugar is being sold in shops in the county. We managed to impound the sugar in Mpeketoni, Lamu town and Kiunga on Wednesday evening and Thursday morning. We also arrested five suspects mostly shopkeepers who will be arraigned in court anytime from now. We expect the number of suspects arrested to rise in the course of the day,” said Mr Kioi.
Mr Kioi said unscrupulous merchants were distributing and selling sugar and other fake goods and warned locals against buying and stocking such products.
PATROLS
He said the campaign against contraband products would be extended to all goods including suspicious milk which he said was already in circulation in Kiunga in Lamu East.
Locals in Lamu Old town have also raised concern over suspicious toothpaste which being sold in the town and its environs.
He said police patrols have been intensified across the county including on the Lamu-Garsen road and at sea and appealed to members of the public to volunteer information that will aid in seizing more contraband goods being sold in the county
INSPECTION
“We are aware that such fake products come from Mombasa. All vehicles carrying cargo and using the Lamu-Garsen road will have to undergo inspection in all the road blocks. We are also coordinating with marine police in Lamu town, Mkokoni, Kizingitini, Faza, Ndau and other places to ensure all cargo boats in the Indian Ocean are thoroughly inspected. We don’t want fake goods to penetrate to Lamu anymore,” said Mr Kioi.
Police also confiscated gambling machines in Hindi town and arrested three suspects.
