Three arrested as contraband chewing gum found in bus secret compartment

Police officers manning the Garissa-Thika highway on Thursday arrested the driver and two conductors of a bus plying the route after contraband goods were found in a secret compartment of the vehicle.

The bus, which was headed to Nairobi from Dadaab, was intercepted at Ngutani by the officers drawn from a multi-agency team.

Upon inspecting the vehicle, the officers found that the under-floor of the passenger compartment had been illegally modified and fitted with secret storage bins.

The bins were reportedly stuffed with; 49 cartons of Batook chewing gum, four cartons containing 25 pieces of Tres Orix-Forte appetite stimulant, and five boxes containing 1000 sachets of pain relieving tablets.

286 tins of Red Cow milk powder. 37 tins of Anchor milk powder, and 42 tins of Nura milk powder were also recovered.

Inspector General of Police Hilary Mutyambai, in a press statement, commended the officers saying the suspects were booked at the Ngutani Police Station where they were detained pending arraignment.

“The manner and design of the said partitions not only allows for the concealment and transport of contraband goods but may also be used to ferry dangerous weapons and explosives,” he stated.

“My office is in consultation with other relevant authorities with a view to taking appropriate action on culpable individuals and organizations in the transport sector involved in such illegitimate business.”

He further added that vehicle body fabricators who knowingly modify vehicles to aid in committing offences will also face the law.