The National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA) is on a manhunt after hundreds of individuals and companies that have been named in fraudulent dealings involving vehicle imports in the country.
Over 300 vehicles have been marked for impound after Deputy Inspector General of Police Edward Mbugua said the illegal vehicles are unlawfully registered and caveated transit vehicles
“You are directed to immediately mount an operation and detain the vehicles and the drivers,” Mbugua said in a memo to the regional police.
In what seems to be an inside job, Mbugua stated that the Transport Integration Management System (TIMS) database had been infiltrated with vehicles appearing in the system without having followed the proper procedures. These vehicles are therefore appearing on roads across the country without the legal documentation.
NTSA says they have made out a syndicate of 37 individuals and companies that compromised TIMS and registered their vehicles out of the laid requirements.
Although the countries of destination for the said vehicles are suspected to be Uganda, South Sudan, Congo, Somalia, Burundi, Malawi, Tanzania, and the Democratic Republic of Congo. NTSA has warned car buyers to be wary as some of those vehicles are being diverted and sold to unsuspecting customers and could land unsuspecting Kenyans in deep trouble.
