Police in Eldoret seize bus with illegally imported goods
Uasin Gishu County Police Commander Johnston Ipara who revealed that a bus transporting illicit goods from a neighbouring country was seized at a roadblock in Maili Nne along the Eldoret-Webuye road on January 22, 2020. PHOTO | FILE | NATION MEDIA GROUP
What you need to know:
- Mr Ipara said the goods are suspected to have originated from a neighbouring country.
- The bus was driven to Turbo Sub-County police headquarters for a further search
- Mr Ipara said it was established that some of the goods were counterfeit, contraband and expired.
Police in Eldoret have impounded a bus ferrying assorted goods suspected to have been brought into the country illegally.
Confirming the incident, Uasin Gishu County Police Commander Johnston Ipara said the goods were seized Wednesday night at a roadblock in Maili Nne along the Eldoret-Webuye road.
The impounded goods which were packed in 33 bags included telecom cables, textiles and cosmetics among others whose value is yet to be established.
Mr Ipara said the goods are suspected to have originated from a neighbouring country.
NO PASSENGERS
“Our officers who were manning a roadblock at Maili Nne flagged down the bus which was transporting these goods. Upon searching the bus they found it was transporting the said goods instead of passengers,” said Mr Ipara.
The bus was driven to Turbo Sub-County police headquarters in Eldoret for a further search by a multi-agency team comprising officials from the Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA), Anti Counterfeit Agency and Kenya Bureau of Standards.
Police and KRA officers offloaded the goods for further inspection and costing.
"Our officers in conjunction with the multi-agency teams are doing further inspection to establish how much the government could have lost in terms of revenue through tax evasion,” said Mr Ipara
The officers revealed that impounded vehicle belongs to Classic Bus Company.
COUNTERFEIT
Mr Ipara said it was established that some of the goods were counterfeit, contraband and expired.
The police boss also said KRA officers established that the goods had evaded tax.
“Officers from government agencies have done verifications on these goods and what has come out is that they are illegal. Some of the goods have expired with no valid permit to enter into our country from a neighbouring country,” added Mr Ipara.
The driver of the bus who was released from custody to bring documents to confirm legality of the goods has since gone missing.
The county boss cited the porous border as a major security challenge.
He said his security team along the highway in his jurisdiction has put in place measures to ensure that all illegal goods are intercepted.
The police suspect the goods might to have come from Uganda.
