Assets Recovery Agency (ARA) Freezes Sh21.6 Million Property Belonging to 4 Suspected Drug Traffickers

The Assets Recovery Agency (ARA) has obtained court orders to freeze property belonging to four suspected drug traffickers in Mombasa.

The agency moved in on the suspects on Thursday after the High Court in Mombasa granted the seizure notice.

"It is hereby ordered that preservation order be granted against each one of the respondents or their employees, agents, servants and any other person acting on their behalf prohibiting them from transacting, and or dealing in the seized cash," the ruling stated.

Eight vehicles and Sh21.6 Million in cash belonging to Stephen Vicker Mangira, Nabil Loo Mohamed, Bakari Kila Bakari and Ali Cars Limited is now under government control.

 ARA Director Muthoni Kimani stated that investigations had revealed that the vehicles and the cash money had been acquired through illegitimate means.

The bust comes a day after President Uhuru Kenyatta accused National Super Alliance (NASA) leaders of using the Mombasa Port to smuggle drugs into the country.

Speaking on Tuesday during a campaign tour of the Coast, President Kenyatta noted that the port was a hub of illegal trade and storage of contraband that was being distributed in the local market

Read More: Uhuru Exposes Leaders Importing Drugs into Kenya

An amendment to the Finance Bill 2017, once implemented, will allow the ARA as well as the taxman to make arrests and recover assets without requiring a court order.

Read More: KRA Given More Powers to Act Like Police

 

 

 

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