DCI bust alleged illegal sugar repackaging syndicate

DCI bust alleged illegal sugar repackaging syndicate. [DCI]

Police have arrested a suspect linked to a suspected illegal sugar repackaging and rebranding syndicate in Bungoma South Sub-County.

The arrest follows a crackdown on unaccustomed goods at Bukembe Shopping Centre, where detectives recovered tens of bags of sugar and branded sacks believed to have been used in the alleged repackaging operation.

According to the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI), a team of detectives from the Operations Support Unit (OSU) and DCI Bungoma South, raided premises associated with a suspect identified as Paul Mwangi.

The detectives recovered 76 bags of 50kg West Valley Sugar, alongside nine bags of sugar that had already been repackaged in Chinese-branded sacks.

“A team of detectives from the Operations Support Unit (OSU) and DCI Bungoma South, acting on actionable intelligence, descended on a premises associated with a suspect identified as Paul Mwangi,” the DCI said in a statement.

Police also recovered 10 empty 50kg sugar bags bearing the Mayuge Sugar brand, a Ugandan brand, raising further suspicion that the premises were being used to repackage and rebrand sugar under different identities.

The operation was extended to a white Nissan Vanette believed to have been used to transport and distribute the sugar, where detectives recovered an additional 26 bags of West Valley Sugar from the vehicle.

They later searched a go-down owned by the suspect, located south of Bukembe Shopping Centre, where they recovered 98 more bags of 50kg West Valley Sugar and 1,700 empty 50kg bags bearing the West Valley Sugar brand.

“The scene was processed and documented by Crime Scene Investigation officers, while all recovered exhibits were secured to facilitate further investigations,” DCI said.

The suspect remains in custody as detectives continue investigations to establish the full extent of the suspected syndicate and trace its supply and distribution networks.