A sting operation by a multi-agency security team nabbed two people in connection with a fuel siphoning syndicate in Mombasa.
The joint operation by Kenya Revenue Authority, National Environment Management Authority and the Energy and Petroleum Regulatory Authority was carried out over the weekend.
The officers raided a two-storey building at Sisi kwa Sisi estate along Refinery Road in Changamwe where they established an ongoing illegal fuel trade.
Two people were arrested and an assortment of equipment used in the illegal trade recovered.
Coast regional coordinator John Elungata said the multi-agency team recovered items that include a compressor, generator, three fuel pump machines, several hose pipes, and 10 drums each with a capacity of 200 litres and assorted 70 jerricans of 20 litres each.
“Our multi-agency team also discovered two underground tanks, one filled with an estimated 5,500 litres of diesel while the other one was empty” Elungata said.
He said the team also intercepted two tankers loaded with fuel suspected to have been obtained from the illegal site with registration details KBR 472C and another one with registration number KAH 169R.
The RC said the team acted on intelligence reports that there was rampant illegal siphoning of fuel within Changamwe areas in Mombasa county.
The operation was undertaken by detectives from the Special Crime Prevention Unit over the weekend.
Those who were arrested include the manager of the business and a driver of one of the trucks that were intercepted.
The two will be arraigned in court facing charges of operating a petroleum business without license from Epra.
“The team will not relent in the war against similar crimes that not only robs the country off its revenue, but also expose citizens to health and safety hazards. We have intensified our investigations to arrest more accomplices connected to the syndicate,” Elungata said.
-Edited by SKanyara
