Police recover in Uganda 7 out of 104 containers stolen from Mombasa port

In a statement by the DCI, the detectives have recovered seven containers out of 104 shipped from India through the port of Mombasa. 

The search and recovery started when Indian businessman, Surya Parkash, who is also the Chief Executive of Kutch Chemical Industries LTD, supplied a consignment of 104 containers of caustic soda (sodium hydroxide) to fictitious companies between December 12, 2022 and April 22, 2023.

Caustic soda is used as a reagent in laboratories and also as a cleansing agent.

According to the DCI Parkash flew in to Kenya and filed a complaint at the DCI after the consignment vanished at the port of Mombasa. 

"Five companies identified as Abbey Chemicals East Africa LTD, Innospec LTD, Akoki Investment Agency LTD, CJP Chemicals LTD and UNATRAL Free Zone SMC Uganda LTD, had ordered for the consignment which was delivered through the port of Mombasa, between January 31, 2023 and May 15, 2023," DCI said.

After offloading the containers, the traders who had not paid for the goods disappeared and cut communication with the supplier. 

A thorough search traced some of the stolen containers to a depot in Uganda. 

"Yesterday, the team recovered 7,420 bags equivalent to 7 containers of the product at Liberty Internal Container Depot, a logistical company located along Bweyogere Industrial Area in Kampala. Uganda," DCI added.

Police say efforts to recover the remaining containers are underway.