The Anti-Terrorism Police Unit in Taita Taveta county are probing 1,000 explosive detonators seized by Kenya Revenue Authority customs officers at the Taveta-Holili One-Stop Border Post.
According to a press statement signed by acting KRA coordinator Southern region John Bisonga, the explosives were nabbed at Mwakitau, a kilometre from Mwakitau roadblock along the Taveta-Mombasa highway.
The consignment was being transported together with tobacco by a truck registered as T143ARG, the statement reads.
Three suspects were arrested in connection to the incident.
One suspect presented himself at the station with a mining permit claiming to be the owner of the detonators. Others are the driver of the truck and a turn boy who are both Tanzanians.
“The consignment in the vehicle had been declared at the border point as raw tobacco from Moshi in Tanzania and was destined for Mombasa,” the statement said.
However, upon rummaging by customs officers and checking the cabin, the officers found two packages of supreme plain detonators in the vehicle.
A joint verification by the multi-agency team from KRA, DCI and officers from the National Police Service confirmed the parcel contained 1,000 pieces of detonators. The pieces had been packed in 10 boxes.
The truck driver claimed the detonators were handed over to him in Taveta town to be delivered at Mwatate.
The vehicle and detonators were detained at the custom’s warehouse in Taveta. The suspects will be charged with contravening the Explosive Act.
Edited by R.Wamochie
