One person arrested as police clash with Eastleigh traders over contraband milk powder

Traders in Eastleigh, Nairobi, on Tuesday clashed with police officers who were conducting a raid at a wholesale store in the area for allegedly stocking contraband milk powder.

For over three hours, business came to a standstill; transport was disrupted as traders engaged police in running battles along Eastleigh Fourth Street where the operation was taking place.

Detectives from the DCI headquarters who were leading the multi-agency operation managed to arrest one person who was alleged to be involved in the business of selling contraband goods in the area.

Two police vehicles used by members of the multi-agency team were damaged by protesters who were pelting stones as the police lobbed teargas to disperse them.

The traders have accused DCI detectives who were part of the multi-agency team of targeting their genuine business, claiming they are involved in the sale of contraband milk powder.

"Mpaka sasa hivi hatuelewi, wanasema ni orders kutoka juu, hawatuulizi documents zozote...tunawaonyesha na hizi mizigo zimeingia port of entry Mombasa, wamelipia customs, wamelipia KRA, KEBS wako na license ya dairy board, sio kitu ati ni contraband, wanasema hawataka kujua ...Sisi tunaona ni dhuluma, hizi maziwa ziko kila mahali Kenya nzima,” Mohammed Ismaily, a businessman, said.

Eastleigh Business Community Secretary Omar Ahmed added: “Tunaomba hao idara wapitie sheria wakuje na documents; saa hizi hakuna documents wanatuonyesha wanaingia wanavunja mastore na hakuna stakabadhi zozote wako nazo… wanavunja na mkono yao kwa nguvu, wenye hawako vitu zinachukuliwa.”

The traders say a similar operation was conducted last month where DCI officers took away milk powder worth millions but failed to issue an inventory to the affected trader. Local leaders now want the intervention of the Head of State.

"Tarehe sita Januari hizi mizigo zote walichukua hakuna inventory waliachia wenye mali, zinaenda na hawataki kusema walipeleka wapi hatujui ni hasara za mamilioni na sheria inasema polisi akichukua mzigo yako anafaa kukuambia,” Ismaily stated.

Kamukunji MP Yusuf Hassan on his part said, “Kama serikali imepiga marufuku maziwa ya powder ituambie, iwaambie hawa wafanyibiashara maziwa ya powder aina hiyo ni haramu ili wafanyibiashara wasiende hasara, maziwa iliyochukuliwa ni vya humu nchini kwa nini wasisimamishe kwa kampuni na kwa mipaka? Kwa nini mnachukua hatua hizi za kuwanyanyasa wafanyibiasha hawa wa Eastleigh?” 

During the raid, one person was arrested and an unknown number of cartons containing the alleged contraband milk powder were taken by the multi-agency team.

Police have defended the operation saying it was lawful and that they acted on information received that the trader was allegedly involved in the business of selling contraband goods in the area.

The suspect is expected to be arraigned on Wednesday.