Kenya Releases Höegh Car Carrier After UN Weapons Gaffe, No Drugs Found Inside Ship

NAIROBI, Sept 27 (Reuters) – A Norwegian-flagged ship that was held in Kenya for greater than per week over undeclared weapons belonging to the United Nations has been launched, the house owners of the vessel stated.

Kenyan authorities boarded the ship on the port of Mombasa on Sept. 17 and uncovered undeclared weapons in a U.N. cargo destined for peacekeepers within the Democratic Republic of Congo. The U.N. defended the cargo.

“Höegh Transporter has finally been released from detention in Mombasa, Kenya, and has continued her ocean voyage,” Hoegh Autoliners, the Norwegian proprietor of the ship, stated in a press release issued on Saturday.

The U.N. stated the arms have been inside armoured personnel carriers destined for its Indian peacekeeping pressure within the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Hoegh Autoliners stated it was not conscious of the weapons, which contravened its delivery insurance policies.

“The fact that the vehicles contained guns, which were loaded without our knowledge, caused a breach of Kenyan laws and our own strict policies. It is highly regrettable,” the corporate stated.

There have been no medication discovered aboard the ship opposite to earlier claims attributed to Kenyan police.

“A search for drugs yielded no results involving vessel or crew,” Hoegh Autoliners stated.

Coastguards and navies in East Africa have struggled to stem the stream of medication via their waters because the area has turn out to be a key export route for Afghan heroin destined for Europe. (Reporting by Duncan Miriri, modifying by Louise Heavens)

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