Detectives have arrested a driver and his turnboy found transporting 17 Ethiopians being smuggled out of the country.
The group was intercepted by police from the Transnational Organised Crime Unit (TOCU) at Makupa Bridge in Mombasa.
They had reportedly moved from Ethiopia through the Kenya-Ethiopia border in Moyale and were allegedly headed to South Africa when they were intercepted.
It is not clear how they managed to evade police roadblocks on the main highways.
Acting on intelligence, the sleuths laid a trap at Makupa Bridge, where they intercepted the lorry carrying them.
Upon opening its carriage, 17 men of Ethiopian origin were rescued and escorted to Makupa police station. The driver and his turnboy were also taken by the police.
The group told police they were on transit to South Africa and had crossed into Kenya with the assistance of smugglers.
Police said they are looking for the smugglers.
According to police, most of those arrested previously said they use the Moyale route as they head to South Africa and Middle East oblivious of the dangers ahead.
Officials from the Transnational Organised Crime Unit are conducting joint operations to deal with human smuggling.
What is puzzling is how the immigrants evade many police roadblocks mounted from the Moyale border to Nairobi because they travel in groups.
There are more than 20 roadblocks on the stretch.
Most of those nabbed are usually repatriated to their country, police and immigration officials say.
Many are being held in various police stations pending their repatriation.
