Police Destroy Contraband Sugar Worth Sh275,000 In Mandera

MANDERA,Kenya, Dec,9 – A multiagency security team in Elwak,  Mandera county Wednesday oversaw the destruction of 110 bags of contraband sugar.

The goods are said to have been worth an estimated Sh275,000.

Sugar which is the most smuggled goods in the area has flooded locals markets after gaining entry through the porous border with Somalia.

“We have people trading through our porous borders with Somalia and Ethiopia. These goods find their way into markets as far as Nairobi, Migori and even Nakuru,” Mr Hassan Alio, a local businessman said.

The national and county government is said to lose millions of shillings as unscrupulous entrepreneurs continue to smuggle goods between Kenya and Somalia.

“There are no tax collection points on the border with Somalia and most of us get our goods from Kismayu which is not as far as Nairobi,” Mr Alio said.

The contraband goods which were nabbed back in October saw police arrest Mahad Mohamed Ibrahim, a local businessman found in possession of the illicit sugar.

He was was charged on October 7 and pleaded guilty to the offence.

Mandera Senior Resident Magistrate Peter Wasike later ordered the goods forfeited and destroyed.

“We are here to destroy these products and this is to give a strong message that illegal business around Mandera County bordering Somalia and Ethiopia that threaten the national security, economy and public health will not be tolerated,” said Wasike.