Detectives from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations have apprehended six individuals suspected of handling uncustomed goods.
On September 15, the DCI announced that these arrests were made during Operation Usalama, a coordinated effort involving 14 Eastern African nations.
One suspect was detained at a beauty shop in Kisumu, where uncustomed goods were found.
“Acting on intelligence, the Operation Usalama X team conducted a three-day search operation in Kisumu, targeting various businesses. During this operation, we recovered several uncustomed items and arrested one individual who is now aiding further investigations,” the DCI statement read.
The operation also led to the seizure of additional suspected uncustomed items. A shop owner in Kisumu was arrested in connection with these goods.
Further searches along Kisumu-Kakamega Road and at a chemist yielded more suspected uncustomed items, resulting in the arrest of four additional suspects.
Operation Usalama, initiated by The Eastern Africa Police Chiefs Cooperation (EAPCCO) and the Southern African Regional Police Chiefs Co-operation Organisation (SARPCCO), aims to combat cross-border and transnational crimes. This operation addresses issues such as vehicle theft, drug trafficking, human trafficking, arms proliferation, terrorism, and smuggling.
The regional bodies have previously conducted five similar operations, known as USALAMA I-IX, from 2013 to 2023 to tackle these challenges.
