Detectives bust fake juice factory in Kabete homestead, 1,400 bottles recovered

Detectives from Kabete Police Station have unearthed a clandestine counterfeit juice factory operating from an ordinary homestead in Muthua village, Kabete, Kiambu County.

The raid, which took place on Thursday, October 1, 2026, followed a tip-off from a vigilant member of the public who reported suspicious chemical smells and late-night vehicle movements.

Acting on the information, officers stormed the homestead and found two men in the middle of production. They were identified as Alex Mwaruta and James Munala Inyangala. They were arrested on the spot.

What detectives found inside shocked them. What looked like a normal rural home from outside was a fully-fledged bottling plant inside.

According to the DCI report, officers recovered approximately 1,400 filled 200ml and 300ml bottles of suspected counterfeit juice already sealed and ready for market. They also found 56 cartons of empty bottles, five packets of bottle tops, two large blue drums suspected to contain the base concentrate, three assorted-colour basins used for mixing, office glue, rubber stamps and ink pads, assorted stickers bearing a well-known juice brand name, and an expired certificate authorising the use of the Standardisation Mark (KEBS).

Also recovered were assorted powdery and colourless substances packed in 50-gram portions and in 200ml and 300ml bottles, believed to be flavours, sweeteners and preservatives being mixed without any health standards.

The scene was processed by detectives from the Crime Scene Investigation (CSI) unit, while the recovered items were secured as exhibits. The two suspects remain in custody at Kabete Police Station as investigations continue. They are expected to be arraigned on charges of counterfeiting, being in possession of expired standardization marks and contravening public health regulations.

Photos shared by The Kenyan Daily Post show the bottles stacked in dirty basins next to open glue tins. The juice colours — bright red, orange and yellow — had no batch numbers.

The bust comes at a time when NACADA and KEBS have intensified crackdowns on counterfeit alcohol and beverages. Just this week, NACADA seized counterfeit alcohol and uncustomed cigarettes in Meru County, resulting in three arrests. In Nairobi, JKUAT scientists warned of a looming food safety crisis as informal manufacturers cut corners.

Public Health officials say such operations pose serious health risks. The mixtures contain industrial colouring, non-food grade saccharin and untreated water, which can cause kidney damage, stomach infections and long-term effects in children who are the main consumers of cheap juices sold near schools for Sh20-Sh30.

Residents of Muthua told police the homestead had operated for months, supplying shops, kiosks and schools in Kabete, Kikuyu and parts of Westlands. The homestead owner is being sought.

Kenyans on Facebook reacted angrily after the story broke this evening. Many tagged KEBS asking "Mnakunywa Sumu" — you are drinking poison — and called for closure of all unlicensed factories. Others asked for the brand name to be revealed to avoid buying it.

Police have urged anyone who bought juice with no expiry date, with loosely fitted caps or with a strong chemical smell to report to the nearest public health office and not consume it.

Investigations are ongoing to trace distribution chains and to establish if the expired standardization certificate was stolen or forged.