Police in Lubinu, Mumias East, Kakamega County, have arrested three individuals in connection with a large consignment of counterfeit fertiliser and maize seedlings. The officers from Shianda Police Station seized 12,835 kilograms of fake fertiliser and 396 kilograms of counterfeit maize seedlings during a raid at a local residence on Tuesday.
The operation was carried out at the home of 38-year-old Asma Mukoya in Musoma village, Lubinu sub-location, approximately four kilometers south of the station. Acting on a tip-off, officers discovered an Isuzu lorry, registration number KDL 120K, actively being loaded with the counterfeit agricultural inputs.
According to a police report, officers found various brands of suspected fake fertiliser, including 196 bags of 50kg fertiliser, 24 bags of 50kg Yarabela Exran, 12 bags of 50kg DAP Falcon fertiliser, 14 bags of 50kg Chaps Meli DAP fertiliser, two bags of 50kg DAP fertiliser, and eight bags of 25kg Chaps Solai Mbolea Bora. Additionally, 23.5 bags of 10kg DAP Falcon fertiliser and 198 packets of 2kg hybrid maize seeds from Kenya Seeds, suspected to be counterfeit, were confiscated.
Authorities also recovered key equipment used in repackaging the counterfeit products, including a weighing machine, three rolls of sewing threads, a repackaging machine, three unsealed 50kg bags of fertiliser, and a collection of empty sacks.
Following the raid, police arrested Mukoya, alongside Rodgers Otundo, the lorry driver, and Milzadeck Meja, a suspected broker in the illegal operation. The three remain in custody as they await their arraignment in court.
The arrest underscores the growing concern over the circulation of counterfeit agricultural inputs, which pose a significant risk to farmers and food security. Authorities have urged farmers to remain vigilant and purchase fertiliser and seeds from verified dealers to avoid falling victim to such fraudulent activities.
Police have launched further investigations to establish the full extent of the operation and to track any additional suspects who may be involved in the distribution of counterfeit agricultural products in the region
