Security agencies in Teso North Sub County have intensified surveillance along the porous Malaba border to curb smuggling of illicit liquor from Uganda.
This follows a Sunday night incident in which a ‘nissan matatu’ packed with 943 dozens of simba waragi spirits worth Shs.340,000 was impounded at Osasame village in Osasame location.
According to the area Deputy County Commissioner Justus Musau, the police working on a tip off managed to arrest the driver of the vehicle- Victor Agai aged 35- and a passenger Reagan Otieno aged 27.
Musau said the government will not relent in the fight against contraband goods and cautioned culprits taking advantage of the porous border that their days are numbered.
“We are working day and night to seal all the loopholes the culprits have been exploiting to transport illegal immigrants to smuggle in contrabands like illicit liquor and banned drugs into Kenya,” he stated.
He appealed to members of the public to be free to share any kind of useful information that will aid in the war against smuggling which is a threat not only to the border county’s economy but the entire country.
In March 2018 a multi-agency team comprising of police officers, NACADA officers, KEBS, KRA and Anti-counterfeit officers confiscated 35 crates of Ugandan beer in various Malaba bars.
By Melechezedeck Ejakait
