DCI recovers tainted milk powder worth Sh75 million in Umoja
Detectives from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) in Nairobi on Tuesday seized 1,511 25kg bags of what they described as tainted milk powder estimated to be worth Sh75 million.
The consignment of unsafe milk powder was recovered during a raid on a godown in Umoja III’s Mowlem area of Nairobi.
According to the DCI, the operation was carried out by detectives from the Economic and Commercial Crimes Unit and KRA officers following a tip-off on the #FichuakwaDCI hotline.
“The detectives, acting on intelligence, moved swiftly and raided the premises where the 25kg bags were found with the expiry date labels removed and ready for repackaging,” a DCI statement said.
The milk powder had earlier been declared unfit for human consumption by officials from the Kenya Bureau of Standards at the port of Mombasa.
The government lost over Sh32 million in unpaid taxes from the illegal shipment.
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Preliminary investigations revealed that the consignment was smuggled from a godown in Mombasa before being secretly transported to Nairobi for repackaging.
“The illegal consignment, which cost the government over Ksh32 million in unpaid taxes, was immediately declared unfit for human consumption by officials from the Kenya Bureau of Standards,” the DCI said.
A manhunt is underway to arrest those behind the scheme.
“Detectives are currently searching for the mastermind behind the high-level scheme, which would have had a devastating impact on the health of Kenyans if the milk powder had found its way into the local market. We thank the member of the public who provided information about the shipment and call on the general public to emulate this example for our collective safety.
The DCI has praised the individuals who tipped them off and urged the public to do the same in the event of suspicious activity.
“This,” the directorate said, “is for our collective safety and security.
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