The Star
Friday, March 23, 2012
Twenty one Somali men who were traveling in the trucks with Somalia registration numbers were also arrested. The security forces received a tip off from intelligence teams monitoring movements along the common Kenya/ Somalia border.
A senior military operative yesterday confirmed that the trucks loaded with sugar and other assorted contraband goods were intercepted in Dadajabula area near the Kenya/ Somalia border as they were being driven towards Liboi on the Kenyan side at about 10.30 am. " KDF and their TFG counterparts on patrol within the Dadajabula area acting on intelligence from both countries intercepted nine trucks ferrying sugar and assorted contraband goods into Kenya yesterday morning. Twenty one male adults who were traveling in the vehicles were also arrested and escorted to Liboi police station where they are being held," a senior security official privy to the arrests said.
"Operation Linda Nchi' spokesman Emmanuel Chirchir through his twitter confirmed the incident saying it is a shame that unscrupulous business people were smuggling sugar into the country to fund al Shabaab insurgents. The Kenya military officers have intensified patrols along the border since troops were deployed to Somalia in October in pursuit of the al Shabaab insurgents following the kidnapping of tourists and foreign aid workers. Kenya has been fighting the terror group in the Lower Juba with the intention of capturing Kismayu port which is used by the militia to smuggle contraband goods. The goods are sold both in Somalia and Kenya to fund the war against the UN-backed Transitional Federal Government.
Meanwhile, the military spokesman Emmanuel Chirchir has termed as propaganda allegations by Al Shabaab that its fighters have recaptured Diif and Dusmareeb areas which are being held by the AMISOM troops. Chirchir said that the troops were in high spirits and determined to rid the war torn country of fighters from the insurgent group who have been terrorizing Somalia nationals for a long time.