Contraband sugar worth Ksh.250M nabbed in Bungoma

Contraband sugar worth Ksh.250M nabbed in Bungoma

A consignment of contraband sugar worth Ksh.250 million was on Wednesday impounded in the warehouses of Panafrican Paper Mills in Webuye, Bungoma County.

The sugar – which was in 59,000 bags, each 50kg (approx. 2,450 tonnes) – allegedly belongs to West Kenya Sugar Company, Kakamega.

The bags were reportedly labeled “Brown sugar. Not for sale.”

Drama ensued at the gate to the establishment when journalists who had rushed to the scene to report the incident were barred from gaining entry into the factory.

The journalists, who were acting on a tip off that the management of West Kenya Sugar Company had shipped in hundreds of tonnes of raw sugar and were repackaging them at Rai Paper Warehouse, were roughed up.

A cameraman attached to K24, John Makuba, had his camera destroyed by an Administration Police Officer manning the gate during the melee.

The government has been on high alert in fighting contraband sugar which, according to the government chemist, contains harmful amounts of copper and mercury.

Internal CS Fred Matiang’i has also warned businessmen and politicians involved in the killer trade that they will be dealt with.

“I am not under any illusion that we are engaged in a very serious war… a war that could mean anything… it could mean even the lives of these officers and some of us… but let me tell you quite clearly, we are ready,” said the CS.

Tags:

bungoma county Interior CS  Fred Matiangi Contraband sugar Panafrican Paper Mills

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