Police raid illegal gas refilling facilities, arrest 17 suspects in Thika and Limuru

Seventeen people were Tuesday night arrested in Thika Town and Limuru for operating illegal LPG refilling centres.

Police said they seized 448 assorted gas cylinders, five vehicles and other equipment used in conducting the business in the operation.

Officials from Energy Regulation Commission (ERC) had apparently marked the premises as illegal before teams of detectives from Special Crimes Prevention Unit raided Tuesday night.

ERC regulates the electrical energy, petroleum and related products, renewable energy and other forms of energy. It has come under criticism for doing little in taming the business in the country and posing danger to many.

In Thika Town’s Makongeni area, the officers said they arrested seven suspects and seized 213 assorted filled cylinders, 156 empty ones, a tanker, two lorries while in Limuru, 79 cylinders, a tanker and two salon cars were seized with ten suspects.

The suspects are expected in court. Police say the operation on illegal gas refilling centres is ongoing.

Last week, police raided an illegal gas filling station in Nakuru Town and seized 900 assorted gas cylinders, nine vehicles and arrested suspects.

This comes in the wake of revelations that there are many filling stations operating in the area illegally.

ERC officials have however been complaining of the mushrooming of such illegal yards.

Last month, two people were seriously wounded in a fire incident caused by a gas explosion in Ndenderu area, Kiambu County. The two were part of a group working at an illegal gas filling point when one of the cylinders leaked and caused a fire and loud explosion. Police and locals said the fire spread fast, burning the two as their colleagues escaped.