Police officers at the Isebania border have intercepted a vehicle transporting suspected hazardous chemicals and explosives believed to have been smuggled into the country from neighbouring Tanzania.
The operation, conducted on Friday by officers based at Isebania Police Station in Kuria West Sub-County, targeted a white Toyota Probox that is suspected to have entered Kenya through the porous Nyang’iti border point.
According to a police report, the driver abandoned the vehicle and fled on foot after spotting officers who had signalled him to stop. A manhunt has since been launched to track down the suspect.
Upon searching the vehicle, officers recovered 12 drums of sodium cyanide weighing 50 kilograms each.
They also discovered two cartons of explosives identified as V6 Explogel, which had been concealed in brown packaging.
Police say investigations are ongoing to establish the origin and intended destination of the consignment.
‘’We remain vigilant in safeguarding our borders and protecting the public from dangerous and illegal consignments,’’ the police report read in part.
Sodium cyanide is a highly toxic chemical commonly used in gold mining for the extraction of precious metals from ore. While it has legitimate industrial applications, its handling and transportation are strictly regulated due to its lethal nature.
Exposure can occur through inhalation, ingestion, or skin contact, and even small amounts can be fatal if not properly managed.
On the other hand, V6 Explogel is a commercial explosive typically used in quarrying, mining, and large-scale construction projects to break rock and earth.
The developments come at a time when intelligence operatives are on high alert after anti-terror police officers thwarted a planned terror attack within Nairobi, allegedly linked to people suspected to be Al-Shabaab militants.
The officers on Wednesday, February 18, said the intervention followed close monitoring as investigators tracked their movements, communications, and logistical networks of the terrorists. During the operation, the specialised police units seized 13 men at a hideout in Kajiado County.
Additionally, five AK-47 assault rifles, one Makarov pistol with 24 rounds, 20 magazines with 600 rounds of ammunition, and six hand grenades for close attacks were also recovered.
Preliminary investigations suggest the suspects were allegedly plotting to attack during the holy month of Ramadan, a period observed by Muslims worldwide through prayer and fasting within densely populated areas in the city.
Photo Counter Terrorism Policing Unit
