Detectives from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) have arrested 13 suspects and seized eight lorries loaded with bags of siphoned and repackaged cement in a crackdown on counterfeit cement in Kenya.
The operation, conducted in collaboration with officials from the Kenya Bureau of Standards (KEBS), targeted hotspots in Athi River, Syokimau, and Kitengela, areas notorious for illegal activities related to substandard cement.
The multi-agency team employed intelligence-led market surveillance to investigate various illicit practices, including the siphoning of cement from properly packaged bags, which often results in underweight products. Additionally, the team uncovered the adulteration of genuine cement with pozzolanic dust, which compromises quality, as well as the illegal production of empty bags from major brands to facilitate these operations.
During the raid, several lorry owners fled, leaving their vehicles behind. The trucks were subsequently escorted to KEBS headquarters for further testing of the cement. The suspects are set to be processed and arraigned in court on Monday, as the operation expands to other regions of the country in a bid to rid the market of substandard products.
