Police on Saturday night intercepted a lorry in Kwale County ferrying contraband sugar believed to have originated from a neighbouring country and destined for unlawful entry into Kenya.
Officers from the National Police Service, working alongside a multi-agency team drawn from other government enforcement units, flagged down the vehicle at the Lunga Lunga One Stop Border Post.
According to the National Police Service, the driver of the Isuzu lorry had concealed the illicit sugar under a layer of fresh oranges in an apparent attempt to evade detection, in violation of customs and importation laws.
“On Saturday, 31 May 2025, a multi-agency team comprising the National Police Service and other government enforcement agencies intercepted a motor vehicle believed of transporting contraband goods at the Lunga Lunga One Stop Border Post in Kwale County. The vehicle, an Isuzu lorry with registration number T199 BHP, was being driven by one Musakawa Hamadi,” the police reported.
“Upon thorough inspection, authorities discovered 144 bags of Brazilian sugar, each weighing 50 kilograms, concealed beneath a load of fresh oranges.”
The vehicle and the sugar consignment have been detained at the Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) facility pending further investigation and questioning by the multi-agency team.
Sugar smuggling has been a case of concern to policing agencies. On April 10, officers from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) nabbed a prime person of interest in a syndicate that swindled four businessmen over Ksh100 million in fake sugar imports.
According to a report by the DCI, the 46-year-old was apprehended following an extensive investigation into the crime, which reportedly occurred between May and October 2023.
During the investigations, the officers concluded that the prime culprit, along with other accomplices, swindled money meant to import 15,000 bags of sugar from Brazil.
The victims of the fraud, who had expected to receive the sugar, made payments totalling Ksh100 million through five bank accounts to facilitate the transaction.
In 2018, the government, through KRA, ordered 40,000 tonnes of sugar imported from Brazil to be shipped back over quality concerns.
The large consignment that was brought into the country by Darasa Limited failed to meet the quality specifications laid out by the Kenya Bureau of Standards (KEBS)
Meanwhile, the police have since issued a stern warning to members of the public against engaging in smuggling and the distribution of contraband goods. The Service, in partnership with other enforcement agencies, affirmed its ongoing commitment to safeguarding national security and economic stability through the war against illicit trade.
