Police in Eldoret on Wednesday netted a lorry ferrying contraband cigarettes suspected to have come from Uganda.
According to Uasin Gishu County Police Commander Johnston Ipara, the lorry was netted along the Webuye-Eldoret road.
“Today we arrested a lorry and upon opening, 240 cartons of Supermatch cigarettes were found concealed inside,” said the police boss.
Addressing journalists at the Eldoret Central Police Station, the police commander said the street value of the contraband cigarettes is Sh17 million, denying the county Sh8.6 million worth of taxes.
“The total number of cartons that were recovered including the ones nabbed during the operation we did on Monday comes to 390 with a street value Sh27 million. Total taxes unpaid to the Kenyan government amount to Sh14 .6 million,” added Ipara.
He further said that police will continue with the operation until involvement in such illegal businesses becomes a thing of the past.
Ipara noted that police are still holding the two suspects who arrested on Monday over allegations smuggling cigarettes from Uganda worth over Sh10 million.
He said that officers are on high alert and have built a network of sources to help establish and nab persons conducting illegal business activities in Uasin Gishu County.