Kenya Sugar Board leads crackdown on illegal sugar in Kitale

Kenya Sugar Board has intensified the fight against illegal sugar trade. [Courtesy]

The Kenya Sugar Board has intensified the fight against illegal sugar trade after leading a multi-agency enforcement operation targeting suspected smuggling and counterfeit sugar within Kitale town and its environs.

The operation, conducted on Tuesday, August 18, 2026, brought together officers from the Kenya Sugar Board, Kenya Police Service and other government agencies.

The agencies carried out inspections and enforcement activities within their respective statutory mandates as part of efforts to safeguard consumers and protect the legitimate sugar supply chain.

During the operation, the Kenya Sugar Board impounded nine bags of sugar suspected to have been illegally imported and counterfeited.

One suspect believed to be the owner of You and Me Wholesale and Retail Shop is the alleged mastermind of a sugar-smuggling syndicate operating in Kitale and was arrested and placed in police custody pending arraignment in court.

The crackdown comes amid growing concerns over the circulation of illicit and counterfeit sugar, which authorities say poses a risk to consumers while undermining legitimate businesses and government efforts to regulate the sugar sector.

The Kenya Sugar Board is expected to continue working with other government agencies to identify and disrupt networks involved in the illegal importation, distribution and sale of sugar.

Authorities have urged traders and members of the public to report suspected cases of illegal sugar trading to the relevant agencies.