800 bags of suspected contraband sugar impounded in Changamwe, Mombasa

The truck carrying about 800 bags of illegal sugar with an estimated value of Sh4 million after it was seized on Monday December 1, 2014. The driver and the owner went into hiding leaving behind the turn-boy who was arrested. The truck was taken to Changamwe Police Station. PHOTO | LABAN WALLOGA | NATION MEDIA GROUP 

In Summary

• The sugar which was carefully packed and covered on a truck was seized at Miraj Petrol Station.
• Only the truck’s turn boy who was in the parked vehicle at the time was arrested with the driver and owner of the consignment said to have gone into hiding.
• Ms Chacha added that they got suspicious of the consignment owing to the strong smell of sugar emanating from the truck.
• Mombasa County Police commander Robert Kitur confirmed that they had arrested one person in connection with the incident.

By REBECCA OKWANY
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At least 800 bags of illegal sugar with an estimated value of Sh4 million were Monday evening impounded by the Sugar Directorate officials and police in Mombasa.

The sugar which was carefully packed and covered on a truck was seized at Miraj Petrol Station by surveillance officers after receiving a tip off from members of the public.

However, only the truck’s turn boy who was in the parked vehicle at the time was arrested with the driver and owner of the consignment said to have gone into hiding.

“About 800 bags of sugar have been found at a petrol station in Changamwe and are now in police custody.

“We will know the exact number of bags after doing the actual counting with other government agencies tomorrow (Tuesday),” said Sugar Directorate Surveillance Officer Lydia Chacha.

STRONG SMELL

Ms Chacha added that they got suspicious of the consignment owing to the strong smell of sugar emanating from the truck when they arrived at the petrol station.

“The turn-boy lied to us that the truck was carrying tea leaves but we could smell the sugar from where we were standing even as we asked him what he was carrying,” she added.

She noted that they could also tell it was repacked sugar because the seals of each bag were torn unlike the way genuine sugar is normally packed.

“The bags were a bit messed up. A 50kg bag of sugar normally has a polythene bag on the inside but this consignment shows the original polythene has been destroyed meaning the bag had been opened and this is new sugar that has been put in,” she said.

Mombasa County Police commander Robert Kitur confirmed that they had arrested one person in connection with the incident and that they had launched a manhunt for the other suspects.

“We have arrested one person in connection with the incident. But we have not yet identified the owner of the sugar and the driver since the vehicle was parked at a petrol station,” said Mr Kitur.

The truck is currently being held at Changamwe Police Station pending further investigations.