The Directorate of Criminal Investigation officers have busted a contraband of sugar repackaging racket in Kisii county.
This follows a police manhunt for persons believed to have repackaged condemned sugar meant for destruction at Vinpearl distillery in Thika and sold in shelves of supermarkets across the country.
The investigators have take control of the repackaging racket in Kissi preliminary investigation investigation indicating the shop has been closed down and the owners currently held by the police in Kisii
In a sting operation as a result of a tip from members of the public, area OCPD Charles Opondo confirmed the arrest of a middle-aged woman, who allegedly colluded with unscrupulous business individuals in the area. The syndicate repackages sugar from Tanzania and Uganda into sacks labeled Mara, Sony and other local sugar mills.
Duringraid, the suspects were found to be operating in a filthy environment without any weighing machines.
This comes hours before a suspected mastermind behind the disappearance of the condemned sugar be arraigned in court this afternoon.
Chrispus Waithaka was arrested on arrival from Dubai at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA), despite him having secured an anticipatory bail of Ksh. 100,000.
He joins five other traders from Mombasa, Kajiado and Nairobi who will be facing charges relating to the theft and distribution of the contaminated sugar into the local market.
According to the Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) records, the man who is the director of a clearing agency was one of the people who witnessed the breaking of the Customs seals of the 40 containers containing the condemned sugar on April 20.
The investigations into the diversion of condemned sugar has already been finalized and the file forwarded to the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP) ahead of planned arrangement suspects.