Weapons found in U.N. vehicle consignment in Kenya were undeclared: vessel owner
By Joseph Akwiri MOMBASA, Kenya (Reuters) - Weapons found stashed inside a shipment of United Nations vehicles in Kenya last week had not been declared to the authorities and were intended for use by a U.N. peacekeeping mission, the Norwegian ship owner said on Wednesday. Kenyan police said security agents on Thursday discovered firearms and drugs on the Norwegian-flagged Hoegh Transporter, which is docked at the Indian Ocean port of Mombasa. Hoegh Autoliners confirmed weapons were found inside some of the vehicles on its vessel, which was carrying a consignment from Mumbai to the U.N. peacekeeping mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo. "It is our understanding that these weapons belong to the U.N. vehicles in which they were found, and were for use by the U.N. during their peacekeeping mission," the company said in a statement on its website. "The weapons were not declared to us at the time the cargo was loaded, and the fact that weapons were in the vehicles is in violation with our terms of transportation, which clearly states that no arms or ammunition are accepted for shipment." Regional police commander Francis Wanjohi told Reuters late on Tuesday that he did not have more details regarding the nature of the weapons and drugs found. In its statement, Hoegh Autoliners said the company was aware of reports that the Kenyan authorities had found a substance that was being tested to ascertain whether could be drugs. "We have no clear information at this point as to whether this is correct or not," it said in the statement. East Africa has become a key export route for Afghan heroin destined for Europe. Coastguards and navies from the region, short of funds and anti-trafficking expertise, have struggled to stem the flow of drugs through their waters. In July, Kenyan police seized 341 kg of heroin hidden in the diesel tank of a ship, the biggest single seizure of drugs at Mombasa. (Additional reporting by Stine Jacobsen in Oslo; Writing by George Obulutsa; Editing by Raissa Kasolowsky)
