Four immigrants nabbed in Meru operating illegal bakery

A multi-agency raid in Meru’s Central Sub County on Thursday night led to the arrest of four illegal migrants.

The Standard established that the raid on an illegal bakery operating in Kiria location was led by Central Imenti Sub County Criminal Investigations (SCCIO) Dr Margaret Owino.

The operation involved the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI), public health officers and other agencies acting on a tip-off from members of the public.

“The police acted on a tip-off that there were illegal immigrants at a place in the area. During the operation we found them working at a bakery,” said a source.

The security team arrived in Abothoguchi Central in the dead of the night and managed to arrest five employees at the bakery, while others escaped.

“Efforts are ongoing to trace and apprehend the owner of the bakery as well as the escaped employees,” a source said.

One of those arrested is a local woman aged 45.

The others in custody at Kariene Police Station are three Rwandese men aged 23 and 29, and a Burundian aged 22.

The raid found the workers baking various types of loaves of bread, bread rolls and other products.

Huge earthen kilns and baking chambers occupied one end of a large iron structure serving as the factory, while packaged products were stored in another section ready for distribution.

Several motorcycles fitted with crates were found inside and outside the building.

An inspection of the facility revealed unhygienic conditions, including dirty oil in large pans and flies hovering around.

Eggs, fats and oil were among the items found in the bakery, located about 600 metres off the Meru–Nkubu road.

Police confiscated various exhibits together with the workers as they launched a manhunt for the owner, also believed to be a foreigner.

Sources said bread, cakes and other confectionaries from the bakery are commonly sold at trading centres including Kariene, Equator, Gikumene, Gitimbine and Nkubu.