Nyahururu police intercepted a lorry carrying 22,000 litres of contraband ethanol en route to Nairobi from a neighboring country.
The vehicle, which was carrying 88 plastic drums, each with a capacity of 250 litres, was apprehended late at night after being tracked by security officers.
The driver and his assistant were arrested and detained at the Nyahururu police station as investigations commenced. According to Nyahururu Deputy County Commissioner Bernard Odino, the seized ethanol is estimated to be worth approximately Sh7 million in the local market.
“We received intelligence around midnight about a lorry that had diverted from the usual route to evade detection,” Odino noted, explaining that the vehicle was meant to travel from Malaba at the Kenya-Uganda border but chose to navigate the longer Nakuru-Nyahururu-Nyeri-Thika route to bypass the Gilgil weighbridge manned by Kenya National Highways Authorities (KeNHA).
This deliberate detour raised suspicions that the driver was attempting to avoid cargo scanning that could reveal illicit goods.
The authorities believe this incident highlights a troubling trend where contraband goods are transported along the less scrutinized Nakuru-Nyahururu-Nyeri highway. The deputy commissioner emphasized that this behavior suggests a network of unscrupulous individuals exploiting this route for illegal activities.
In response to the rising concerns of contraband transport through these backroads, a multi-agency team has been established to monitor the highway during nighttime operations, aiming to apprehend any transporters attempting to evade law enforcement.
The lorry, after being confiscated, was handed over to the Kenya Revenue Authority for further investigation, as police continue to delve deeper into the circumstances surrounding the illicit cargo. Security officials hope that increased vigilance and joint operations will deter criminals from using such routes for illegal transport activities in the future.
