A multi-agency sting operation has recovered more than 16 tonnes of illegally imported powder milk in Eastleigh area in Nairobi.
The team included officers from the Kenya Dairy Board, Directorate of Criminal Investigations detectives and the Kenya Revenue Authority enforcement officers.
The officers recovered the illegal milk following a tip-off from the Kenya Dairy Board surveillance team.
Moreover, the detectives caught workers rebranding the powdered milk in locally configured packets of 25kg bags and 2kg tins.
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Likewise, the detectives realized that the illegal milk consignment branded Brookside Dairy Uganda had no documentation.
As a result, the officers cordoned off the go-down, apprehended and grilled the workers on the spot, as they sought information on the warehouse and its owner.
While confirming the incident, the authorities opined that the case is alarming due to the lack of documents to support the imported milk powder.
Police are yet to determine the ingredients used to repackage the milk.
Furthermore, the illegal consignment of milk was moved to a government facility along Mombasa Road for further analysis.
Preliminary Investigations
The milk was not labelled and described as per the standards stipulated by Kenyan law.
The milk powder did not have certification of the Kenya Bureau of Standards (KEBS).
Similarly, Kenya Dairy Board officers have started the process of establishing if the milk was fit for human consumption or if it posed a health risk.
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The officers further warned that they are on a mission to crack down illegal importation of milk-related food products.
They further called on consumers to be vigilant and only buy the products from reputable sources.
Nonetheless, it is not clear whether the illegal consignment had found its way into the market or not.
Members of the public have also been urged to assist the police in the investigations by providing information about the warehouse and its operations as well as any other valuable insights.