Two suspects arrested after a Counterfeit Juice Bust in Kabete

Detectives from Kabete Police Station have moved to arrest two suspects in Kabete over counterfeit juice factory.

At the homestead, Alex Mwaruta and James Munala Inyangala were allegedly found in the middle of producing counterfeit juice.

The two suspects remain in custody as investigations continue.

“What looked like an ordinary homestead in Muthua, Kabete, was being used as a clandestine juice factory, until a vigilant member of the public blew the whistle,” the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) says.

A search of the homestead then peeled back the layers of the operation, revealing what appeared to be a fully fledged counterfeiting setup, DCI adds.

The operation led to recovery of about 1,400 filled 200ml and 300ml bottles of suspected counterfeit juice, 56 cartons of empty bottles, five packets of bottle tops, two blue drums and three assorted-colour basins.

Also recovered were office glue, rubber stamps and ink, assorted stickers, an expired certificate authorising the use of the Standardisation Mark for a well-known juice brand, as well as assorted powdery and colourless substances packed in polythene bags in 50-gram portions and in 200ml and 300ml bottles.

The scene was subsequently processed by detectives from the Crime Scene Investigation (CSI), while the recovered items were secured as exhibits.

“Counterfeit beverages produced in unregulated and unhygienic environments can expose unsuspecting consumers to serious health risks. Such illegal operations also undermine legitimate manufacturers and deprive the government of rightful tax revenue,” DCI points out.