Nairobi: A Uasin Gishu County Multi-Agency Team has intensified its crackdown on counterfeit agricultural inputs after security agencies seized about 4,000 bags of suspected fake fertilizer in Kabenes, Uasin Gishu County, in what officials described as one of the largest recoveries of counterfeit farm inputs in the region.
According to Kenya News Agency, the intelligence-led operation brought together officers from the National Police Service, the Kenya Bureau of Standards (KEBS), the Anti-Counterfeit Authority (ACA), the State Department for Agriculture, and other government agencies as part of ongoing efforts to curb the circulation of counterfeit farm inputs that threaten food security and farmers’ livelihoods.
Speaking during the operation, Uasin Gishu County Commissioner Dr. Eddyson Nyale said the seizure followed a series of earlier raids targeting the same suspect, whom authorities believe is a repeat offender involved in a well-organized counterfeit fertilizer syndicate. Dr. Nyale highlighted that the suspect had previously been arrested after authorities recovered 160 bags of suspected fake fertilizer from the same premises about two weeks ago. Investigators later recovered additional bags linked to the same purported company in various locations.
He said samples from the earlier seizures were submitted to the Kenya Bureau of Standards, the State Department for Agriculture’s Seed and Plant Varieties unit, and the Government Chemist for laboratory analysis, with some results already received while others remain pending. According to the County Commissioner, investigators intend to forward the completed investigation file to the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP) once all laboratory reports are received to facilitate prosecution of those involved.
Nyale described the suspect as “a daring repeat offender,” noting that despite being released on bond following the earlier arrest, he allegedly continued operating the illegal business by bringing in another massive consignment of suspected counterfeit fertilizer. He commended local residents, village elders, and chiefs for providing intelligence that led to the latest operation, saying the information enabled detectives and other security agencies to conduct a successful raid before the products reached farmers.
Preliminary investigations indicate that the suspected counterfeit fertilizer was destined for Narok County. Detectives believe the syndicate obtains expired fertilizer, mixes it with chemicals, alters its color, and repackages it as genuine Diammonium Phosphate (DAP) fertilizer before selling it to unsuspecting farmers. Nyale emphasized the importance of purchasing agricultural inputs only from authorized dealers, warning that counterfeit fertilizer undermines food production and discourages investment in agriculture.
County Police Commander Wilberforce Sicharani said detectives had launched comprehensive investigations and were holding eight suspects in custody as inquiries into the case continue. He added that officers were in the process of transporting the recovered consignment to the Anti-Counterfeit Authority depot, where it would be securely stored pending completion of investigations and court proceedings. Sicharani urged the public to exercise caution when purchasing fertilizers, advising farmers to obtain agricultural inputs only from accredited outlets to protect themselves from fraudsters.
