13 people have been arrested in connection with the sale of counterfeit and substandard cement.
Officers from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) and the Kenya Bureau of Standards (KEBS) conducted an operation targeting the Athi River, Syokimau, and Kitengela areas, which had been identified as hotspots following numerous complaints from the public.
In addition to the arrest of the suspects involved in the illegal activities, eight lorries loaded with bags of cement were seized.
“Following numerous complaints by members of the public especially the end users of cement concerning the quality and quantity of various brands in the market, an intelligence-led market surveillance was conducted by a multi-agency team which has established the extent of this illegal cement activities” said the DCI on X.
The multi-agency team established that the culprits were involved in the manufacture and sale of counterfeit and substandard cement by siphoning cement from properly packaged bags, resulting in underweight products.
They also adulterated genuine cement by introducing pozzolanic dust, which reduced its quality. Additionally, they were engaged in the transportation and distribution of substandard cement and the illegal production of empty bags from major brands to facilitate packaging.
“ Such illegal activities by greedy businesspersons jeopardize the safety of Kenyans especially the millions who live in rental apartments, given the many tragic incidents of collapsed buildings” DCI said.
The suspects will be processed and arraigned in court on Monday, as the operation extends to other parts of the country.