57 more bags of illegal sugar seized by police in Eldoret

Eldoret East OCPD Richard Omanga, inspects some of the 57 bags of 50 kilos sugar, alleged to have imported in to the country from Brazil by some individuals Friday 22.06.2018. [Photo: Peter Ochieng/Standard]

Police have seized 57 sacks of brown and white sugar worth hundreds of thousands of shillings from a shop in Moiben constituency, Uasin Gishu County.

Area OCPD Richard Omanga said the illegal sugar was found hidden in a shop from where it was being dispatched to retailers for sale without proper documentation.

This came after another batch of 560 bags of sugar from Brazil were recovered in a go-down near Eldoret's industrial area.

“We were informed about the suspicious sale of the illegal sugar by locals. We seized 57 50-kg bags of sugar alleged to have been imported from Brazil,” said Mr Omanga.

Officers from the Kenya Bureau of Standards (Kebs), Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) and the county health department officials were present during the swoop.

Samples of the sugar were sent to the Government Chemist for testing.

Omanga warned traders keeping such contraband to hand them over to the police. “We will deal with you ruthlessly if you are found selling unauthorised sugar. If it was sold to you without your knowledge, come and inform us,” he said.