Police have seized about 196 bags of fake fertiliser, 396 Kgs of counterfeit maize seedlings in Kakamega County, western Kenya and arrested three suspects.

The officers from Shianda Police Station in Mumias East acting on a tip- off, raided the home of one the suspects Asma Mukoya, where they found a lorry loading the fake products.

Police also recovered from the home a weighing machine, three rolls of sewing threads, a repackaging machine, three bags of unsealed 50 kilogrammes fertiliser and assorted empty gurney bags.

“Acting on a tip-off, an informer led officers to raid the home of one Asma Mukoya, aged 38 years, in Musoma Village, Lubinu Sub-Location in Mumias East Sub-County, and 4 kilometres south of the station and found a lorry with registration number KDL 120K, make FRR Isuzu, loading suspected counterfeit fertiliser,” a police report reads.

“Police impounded fake 196 bags of 50kgs, 24 bags of 50 kgs yarabela exran, 12 bags of 50 kgs DAP falcon fertiliser, 14 bags of 50 kgs Chapa Meli DAP fertiliser, 2 bags of 50 kgs DAP fertiliser, 8 bags of 25 kgs Chaas Solai Mbolea Bora, 23.5 bags of 10 kgs DAP Falcon fertiliser and 198 packets of 2kgs hybrid seed maize from Kenya Seed Company suspected to be counterfeit,” the police report says.

Police listed those arrested as Asma Mukoya, Rodgers Otundo, the driver of the lorry and Milzadeck Meja, the suspected broker.

The three are assisting the police with investigations.

The government has put farmers on high alert following resurgence of fake fertiliser and maize seedlings in the market.

Farmers have been asked to purchase certified products from the National Cereals and Produce Board (NCPB), with the government supplying an additional one million bags of subsidized fertilizers to various depots across the country.

The Kakamega incident comes in the wake of reports of fake fertilisers and maize seeds being impounded in Molo and Kuresoi North of Nakuru County as well as Kisii County.

Police and Directorate of Criminal Investigations Officers (DCI) inspected suspected counterfeit fertilisers and maize seedlings recovered from a home in Lubinu, Mumias East Sub-County of Kakamega County. Police are holding three suspects, including the owner of the home and have impounded a lorry that was found loading the fake fertiliser as DCI officers launch further investigations into the alleged scam.

• A Tell Media / KNA report / By George Kaiga