Nairobi — Police in Dadaab have launched a probe following the recovery of uncustomed goods by officers of the Kenya Army attached to Garissa's Modika Barracks.

The Kenya Army officers recovered 1.25 tonnes of sugar packaged in 25kg bags after fierce gunfire with occupants of a salon car ferrying the contraband goods at about 8.40pm on Monday.

The officers travelling in a convoy of six landcruisres managed to intercept the car after a chase that saw occupants abandon the vehicle, a police report filed on Tuesday indicated.

The officers referred the matter to Dadaab Police Station for investigations, the report indicated.

Monday's incident comes at a time of heightened surveillance over illicit trade in sugar blamed on collusion between sugar barons and complicit public officials.

In May 2023, Head of Public Service Felix Koskei ordered the suspension of Kenya Bureau of Standards (KEBS) Managing Director Bernard Njiraini alongside 26 other officials reported to have authorised the release of condemned sugar into the market.

He cited an investigation linking the officials to the release of 20,000 bags of sugar imported in 2018 later earmarked for destruction after falling short of standards.

Eight officials from the Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA), four police officers, and six others from the Agriculture and Food Authority (AFA) were among those suspended over the saga.

Koskei noted the officials violated conditions for the use of sugar for industrial ethanol.

"The conditions relating to open and competitive enlisting of the distiller [were] breached and the applicable taxes were not paid," he stated.