Agencies on the spot over seized expired diapers worth Sh38m

A detective from Serious Crime Investigative Unit examine the expired diapers busted at a warehouse in Syokimau off Mombasa Road, Machakos County. [Standard]

A number of government officials based at the Mombasa port are once again on the spot after four tonnes of expired diapers were seized in Nairobi.

The diapers worth Sh38 million expired in February this year but were imported from China in September.

Six workers who were repackaging the products at a godown in Mlolongo were arrested by detectives from Directorate of Criminal Investigations headquarters.

The detectives said they are looking for the agency that cleared the cargo and the importer for questioning. The importer is a prominent transporter in the country.

Also wanted are the Kenya Bureau of Standards officials who inspected and cleared the products.

DCI George Kinoti said preliminary findings had shown the arrested workers were imposing fake Kebs stickers while erasing the expiry dates from the diapers.

“They are killing our future generations with these fake and expired products. We want to know how they got here,” he said.

He added the detectives working on a tip off had to force their way into the go-down where they found the workers busy.

The pampers packaged in bales comprising of small, medium and large expired in February this year.

The assorted China made brand had already been repackaged ready for sale when the officers arrived on Friday.

Kinoti added they are investigating to establish if more of the diapers had got into the market.

“It is possible and we urge Kenyans, especially parents, to always be keen when buying products.”

The police boss said they are battling with cartels who are determined to flood the market with fake goods at the expense of Kenyans.

He warned any agency involved in clearing such goods will be punished.

This is the latest seizure of contraband goods in a campaign that was kicked off four months ago affecting millions worth of goods.

Some of the goods were in September destroyed at an open place in Athi River by president Uhuru Kenyatta.

A special multi agency team has been set up to specifically deal with the menace after it emerged the counterfeit goods were robbing Kenyans of millions of shillings and jobs.

There are claims that some staff at the government agencies are tipping off businessmen involved in the sale of contraband and counterfeit goods.

In July, the agencies were involved in the seizure of more than a million tones of contraband sugar in parts of the country.

Officials from the National Campaign Against Drug Abuse, the National Environment Management Authority, the National Police Service, KRA, anti-counterfeit agency and Kebs have been cracking down on illicit trade and contraband in a campaign against tax evasion and smuggling. 

Top involved in the clearance of the goods have since been charged in court over the issue.