Six persons have been detained by the authorities in Busia County for dealing in counterfeit pesticides that had no proper licenses as reported by the Pest Control Products Board (PCPB).
The suspects were arrested during a joint raid by PCPB officials and security officers in the border town. As per PCPB Western Region Officer William Mukonzo, these counterfeit farm chemicals, with a value of KSh 200,000, were being brought from Uganda into the Kenyan market through illegal entry points.
“Besides the risk that these products pose to the production of our crops, they as well endanger the environment and the health of farmers who use them without realizing it,” said Mukonzo. “We ask the traders who practice such unfair trade to note that the law will be after them.”
The six are now at the Busia Police Station and will be taken to court in the next few days. The police are still investigating to know the full extent of the illegal trade and if there are more people involved in the smuggling network.
Mukonzo appealed to farmers in the region to be on the lookout and make certain that the pest control products that they buy come from licensed agro-dealers. He thus urged that genuine pesticides must have PCPB registration numbers and are sold through authorized outlets.
The problem of counterfeit pesticides is among the major issues that border towns in Kenya are facing due to the porous border crossings.
As a result, it has become very easy for smuggler to sneak in unregulated products. Experts advise that such chemicals may not only lower the quantity of the crop but in the futursmugglersl make soils infertile.
PCPB commits to extending anti-illegal activities and patrols in the areas that are vulnerable so as to provide safety for farmers and food safety standards.
