Kilifi,KENYA:550 bags of charcoal have so far been seized in Kilifi since the ban on tree harvesting and logging was instituted on 24th February.
According to the Kenya Forest Service coast region base commander Harrison Afwata, the 550 bags had been seized while on transit in various parts of the county with 120 of the bags being seized in an AP police lorry in Magarini area in Kilifi.
“Around 450 are stored here while other bags are stored in the various police stations of the administrative units where they were captured, “ Afwata told Baraka FM at KFS offices in Arabuko Sokoke.
Afwata said that the officers had also seized timber products including poles and withes.
“ On 29th March we arrested one Harrison Menza in a lorry registration no KBT 210T transporting 233 log poles from community forest,” Harrison added.
During the crackdown 3 public service buses belonging to Tana coach, Simba coach and Shirikisho Safaris bus companies, 6 lorries which include a police lorry and three motorbikes had so far been arrested .
M.r Afwata also added that several people had been charged in court after they contravened several forest rules including being found in possession of timber cutting equipment deep in the forests.
This comes just as a crackdown on logging intensifies.
Several counties including Kajiado, Kitui and Tana River have so far banned charcoal trade in a bid to save forests.
The government issued a 90 day ban on logging on 24th February and ordered the formation of a task force to assess the damage of water catchment areas in the country.
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