By D, KNA
Business operations in Masalani, Ijara sub county came to a virtual halt after panicked traders closed their shops abruptly, upon learning that officials from the Kenya Bureau of Standards (KBS) were in town looking for contraband goods on sale.
Majority of wholesalers and hardware store keepers hurriedly shut their premises, after word went round that officials from the quality assurance office, who had arrived in the town incognito were inspecting the merchandise on sale to establish their authenticity.
Speculations were rife that the officials got a tip off that majority of the traders were stocking goods smuggled from the Somalia port of Kismayu, thereby denying the government the much needed imports duty, while also exposing the residents to possible harmful goods.
The usually busy town went numb moments after the raid begun in one of the main local outlets, but the exercise was short-lived as most of other traders locked up their premises and lazed around to witness the unfolding raid that came to an abrupt end, as there were no more open shops to search for the alleged contraband goods.
The team that had arrived early morning by 7a.m was forced to retreat back to a local hotel for further consultations on the way forward, when it became apparent that their work was compromised.
Traders interviewed told KNA on condition of anonymity said they were afraid of possible penalties for stocking goods from the Somalia free port, which they said were cheaper and of higher quality compared to those found in the country.
A spot check by the Kenya News Agency revealed that the traders were tipped of the impending raids through mobile phones making it impossible to conduct the search in most of the suspected premises.
Preliminary reports indicated that the team was in town to look for illegal and expired foods stuffs that were still stocked and being sold to unsuspecting buyers, thus exposing them to risks of possible infection from consumption of contaminated products.
There were also reports that the town had become a major dumping ground for substandard goods including foodstuffs from the neighbouring war-torn country, where merchant ships ruled its ports with impunity due to the fluid administration at the free port of Kismayu.
Reliable sources confided that drugs from foreign countries including Japan and India found their way into the sleepy town through Mombasa, posing a health risk to the residents.
Masalani watchdog chairman Abdullahi Abdi however expressed fears that more needed to be done to contain the influx of harmful substances in the town, while challenging security agencies manning the Hulugho border point through Sangailu division to be more vigilant.
Ijara Youth leader Salah Yakub on his part expressed concern that racketeers were smuggling contraband sugar and drugs, especially one known as kulishugul in Somali language, that is used as a painkiller, but was now being abused to cause ecstasy among khat chewers.
The leaders called on security agents to liaise with the local Kenya Police Reservists (KPRs) to ensure such drugs and substandard goods from the border do not penetrate into the Kenyan soil.
Ijara sub County Police Commander Zaccheaus Kotut confirmed presence of the KBS officials in the area.