Authorities in Nandi County have intensified efforts to curb rampant coffee theft, barely two weeks after the enactment of a new law to regulate the sector.
In a joint operation in Tindiret, police and county agricultural officers intercepted a pickup truck transporting nine bags of stolen coffee berries, locally known as buni.
One suspect was arrested at the scene while the vehicle was seized.Nandi County Executive Committee Member (CECM) for Agriculture, Dr. Kiplimo Lagat, warned that individuals who attempt to bypass coffee cooperatives and engage in illegal trading or smuggling will face prosecution.
“Several cases are already lined up in court next week, and we will not relent until this vice is stamped out,” Dr. Lagat said.
The intensified crackdown comes as the county moves to safeguard farmers’ earnings and strengthen the coffee value chain against exploitation by rogue traders.