Detectives drawn from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) on Friday launched operations to weed out unregistered pest control products being sold to unsuspecting Kenyans.
Four suspects were arrested at the Tom Mboya monument along Moi Avenue within the city's Central Business District as police targeted more areas.
Police accused the quartet of selling unregistered pesticides christened Pest Max to unsuspecting Kenyans.
“They were taken to custody at Central Police Station, as the seized products including the vehicle they were using were secured as exhibits,” the detectives stated.
The four suspects will be arraigned on Monday and be charged with selling unlawful or unregistered pest control products.
According to detectives, the suspects' actions contravene section 4(1) of the Pest Control Act cap.346 Laws of Kenya.
The Act states that a person shall import into, or sell in Kenya any pest control product unless that product has been registered, packaged and labelled per regulations made under this Act and conforms to the standards specified in those regulations.
According to the Act, those found guilty are liable to a fine of not less than Ksh250,0000 and not exceeding Ksh1 million.
On February 7, the Pest Control Products Board (PCPB) launched a nationwide crackdown on all unregistered pesticides.
While speaking in Mombasa after nabbing illegal pesticides, PCPB Mombasa branch manager, Stanley Ng'ang'a disclosed that the agency will be taking precautions over the possibility that similar products might be circulating in the market.
"Yesterday we caught over 300,000 kg of illegal pesticides on their way to Kabati, Kenol. The importer did not have the necessary papers," stated Ng'ang'a.
The crackdown follows an alarm raised by Human Rights Watch over banned insecticides from European countries that still find their way into the Kenyan market.
