by CHETI PRAXIDES
An illegal consignment of dry fish worth Sh5 million from Somalia was Tuesday destroyed by Lamu police. It was destined to Mombasa via Lamu,
The 761 bags of dry fish estimated to weigh 12 tonnes were netted by a multi-agency security team shortly after it arrived at the Mokowe jetty in Lamu West from Mogadishu and Kismayu through Kiunga border point.
The bags were being loaded from the transporting boat to a Mombasa-bound bus.
Seven people are in police custody awaiting prosecution.
The Kenya-Somalia border has been closed since June last year owing to security concerns and to stop illegal trade.
Any business transactions between Lamu and Somalia are illegal until.
The bags of dry fish were set ablaze at the Hindi grounds under the supervision of county commissioner Irungu Macharia.
The destruction was witnessed by the public and Kenya Maritime Authority, Kenya Ports Authority and Immigration and Fisheries officials.
Macharia said the move was to show the seriousness of the ban on cross-border trade between Lamu and Somalia.
He warned that the security department will not relent in dealing with those out to bend the law.
The administrator cautioned Kiunga and Ishakani fishermen against sneaking into Somalia for their fishing sprees. “It is a criminal offence to conduct any such business. This will serve as an example to those who think we are playing,” he said.
Despite the closure of the Lamu-Somalia border and the ban on cross-border trade, there have been reports of residents bribing their way into and out of Somalia for trading purposes.
Some of the items commonly smuggled into Somalia through Lamu include potatoes, cheap sugar and fish.
Police reports have ascertained that traders continue to operate as far as Kismayu, Mogadishu and others.
“Those who claim they didn’t know now know that the border has been closed since last year and any trade whatsoever between these two locations is illegal. The border closure shall be enforced at all costs.”
The administrator said their biggest concern is that those insisting on conducting the illegal trade could pose a serious security threat to Lamu.
He said such individuals could easily be used by terrorists to smuggle weapons from Somalia to Kenya.
“All a terrorist needs is opportunity and they some of these stubborn individuals could prove to be their perfect opportunity and might be used to transport weapons for them under the pretext of being traders. But as the security office, we are woke,” Macharia said.
Source: The Star
