NAIROBI, Keny, Sept 8- Two Nairobi Metropolitan Services (NMS) officials are among 8 who were arrested in a fuel siphoning racket in Industrial Area, Nairobi.
A lorry belonging to the NMS was also among those that were impounded by the police in a crackdown on dealers of adulterated fuel.
Police from Nairobi Area Operations Unit conducted the operation following complaints of increased incidents in the city’s Industrial Area.
Police suspect the NMS vehicle was driven into a godown dealing with adulterated products either to allow unscrupulous traders to siphon fuel from it or to be filled up with sub-standard fuel.
The operation started on Tuesday midday and targeted dealers of adulterated fuel and those who siphon fuel from government vehicles.
The police said they have been receiving complaints from petrol station operators and dealers over increase adulterated fuel in the market. The suspects are expected in court on Wednesday morning to face various charges.
Meanwhile, Police and Kenya Revenue Authority officials on Tuesday raided a warehouse in Ruiru leading to a major discovery of more than 650 tanks of illegal ethanol estimated at a value of Sh140m.
Authorities said the owners of the ethanol had not paid the import duty, amounting to Sh65 million.
Two suspects were arrested during the operation in Kamakis area. Police and KRA officials say there has been an increase in tax evasion through ethanol and that they have increased their surveillance to tame the trend.
In April this year, the agencies intercepted more than 6,000 such liters of ethanol in the same area on a lorry that was transporting 50 bags of maize.
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