Woman behind manufacturing of illegal cosmetics in Nakuru arrested

The woman's two bedsitters had been converted into a factory with mortars, drums, cookers and assorted chemicals. [Kennedy Gachuhi]

Police in Nakuru have arrested a woman who has been illegally manufacturing sub-standard cosmetics at her rented house located in the heart of the informal Ponda Mali Estate.

Acting on a tip-off, the police on Tuesday evening cast their dragnets upon the elusive woman who had set up a retail shop in one of the houses she had rented to conceal the actual business.

The police led by Nakuru West Sub County Police Commander Charles Rono had a hard time accessing the premises after the woman denied them entry, maintaining that it was a residential house.

“We arrived at the scene at around 6 pm but the woman was uncooperative. From the outside, one could only think she was selling braids and other genuine beauty products,” said Rono.

The police however insisted on verifying her claims only to be dumbfounded by the scene of a cottage factory for cosmetics behind the decoy shop.

Police found the woman's shop had a door leading to an office where she was printing branding materials for her products. [Kennedy Gachuhi]

“The shop had a door leading to an office where she was printing branding materials for her products. The next two bedsitters had been converted into a factory with mortars, drums, cookers and assorted chemicals,” said Rono.

It is then that the woman tried to convince the police to let her go ‘at a fee’ but the officers handcuffed and took her into custody as they waited for a police truck to cart away the collected evidence.

“We can’t really tell how long she has been doing this as of now and whether the products are in the local market. We have launched investigations and shall charge her accordingly,” said Rono.

Some of the branding materials for the sub-standard products found in the woman's house. [Kennedy Gachuhi]

 

Surprisingly, tenants living in houses on the same property denied having knowledge of the illegal dealings that the woman was conducting. They declined to speak to the press.

This is despite intense vibrations caused by the mortars used in mixing the chemicals to produce the products.

Shocked residents milled around the scene, some surprised that they may have used sub-standard products that may have negative effects on their skin and hair.