The government has set up a special security team to escort transit cargo at Mombasa port in a bid to curb diversions.
The team, which is known as Northern Corridor Transit Patrol Unit, is made up of 20 sectors; each of the sectors will be under the leadership of a senior superintended.
The move comes after President Uhuru Kenyatta ordered Inspector General of Police Joseph Boinnet to create a task force to oversee the transportation of cargo from the port.
Speaking on September 3 during the commissioning of the multi-billion container, President Kenyatta said a new security team is necessary to curb cases of tax evasion, smuggling of drugs and contraband.
Uhuru pointed out that police officers at the port were colluding with Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) and Kenya Ports Authority (KPA) officers in smuggling contraband and diverting cargo.
This comes days after 11 police officers from KRA and KPA were arraigned in court over the theft of cargo containers.
Speaking to The Star, police spokesman Charles Owino expressed confidence that the new unit was going to solve the emerging issues.
"The officers will directly report to Nairobi. We will not give room for any corrupt individual to temper with operations at the port," he said, as quoted by The Star.