On Friday, April 12, a multi-agency team comprising detectives from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) and officials from the Energy and Petroleum Regulatory Authority (EPRA) apprehended 41 individuals.
According to the detectives, the 41 suspects were apprehended for allegedly siphoning fuel at an undeveloped yard near a petrol station off Lunga Road in Nairobi.
The arrests were made following a tip-off from members of the public who purportedly informed the authorities about the illicit activity taking place in the residential area.
Upon inspection, five tankers were discovered at the site, containing over 17,020 litres of diesel, 6,110 litres of petrol, four generators, 30 drums, siphoning pipes, and jerry cans.
“Acting on intelligence, the Operation Support Unit team recently deployed to curb the unbecoming trend surrounding the site, rounding up the numbers who were trading with impunity," read the DCI statement in part.
Detectives revealed that two petroleum trailers located within the yard were laden with petroleum products, yet their three compartments lacked security seals.
Additionally, three other petroleum tankers were discovered loaded with an unspecified quantity of petroleum products believed to have been siphoned from the trailers. Furthermore, a Nissan Sunny car was detained, and found to be carrying 50 litres of petrol.
Documents recovered from one of the trailers indicated that the fuel originated from a fuel depot en route to a petrol station in Thika.
“The suspects have been escorted to custody pending arraignment on Monday, April 15, 2024,” detectives noted.
The incident comes barely a week after detectives arrested three people linked to the sale of adulterated fuel at the Cheptiret area in Uasin Gishu County.
In the raid, during the raid, seized over 425 litres of diesel and 50 litres of industrial oil. The arrested suspects were placed in custody to help the officers with investigations, on other operations relating to the sale of the altered fuel.
DCI further issued a warning to those engaging in the dangerous and prohibited trade to seize their operations.
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