Sarah Anyango
Moyale, Marsabit County.
The Energy and Petroleum Regulatory Authority (EPRA) has seized more than 35,000 litres of smuggled fuel in a major multi-agency operation along the Kenya–Ethiopia border in Moyale, Marsabit County.
The dawn raid, conducted on Friday, targeted a sophisticated cross-border syndicate accused of flooding the Kenyan market with untaxed and unsafe petroleum products. The joint operation involved officers from the Energy Police Unit, Border Patrol Unit, and EPRA’s Surveillance and Enforcement Division.
Three suspects were arrested during the swoop and are being held at Moyale Police Station pending arraignment.
“In a high-level multi-agency operation conducted in Moyale, our ever-vigilant Surveillance and Enforcement team has today seized over 35,000 litres of smuggled petroleum products being trafficked into the country through porous routes,” EPRA said in an official statement.
EPRA’s Deputy Director, Major Augustine Ouma, said the crackdown is part of a wider national campaign to stamp out fuel smuggling rings that undercut licensed dealers and endanger consumers.
“Illegal fuel trafficking is shutting down legitimate fuel stations, denying government revenue, and exposing Kenyans to unsafe products. We will continue dismantling these networks, and every offender will face the full force of the law,” Major Ouma said.
Authorities said the intercepted consignment had bypassed customs checks, taxes, and safety inspections — posing serious economic and public safety risks. Substandard petroleum products, they warned, can corrode vehicle engines, trigger fires during handling or storage, and pollute the environment due to improper refining and disposal.
EPRA also noted that the influx of cheap, untaxed fuel creates unfair competition, forcing legitimate traders to scale down operations or close shop altogether. Beyond lost revenue, the regulator said the illegal trade undermines Kenya’s energy stability and consumer trust.
As the country’s lead regulator for petroleum importation, refining, storage, transport, and marketing, EPRA enforces strict quality standards to safeguard consumers and maintain market integrity. The agency also carries out monthly fuel price reviews to balance affordability, supply chain viability, and fair competition.
The Moyale seizure marks a significant milestone in EPRA’s ongoing campaign to dismantle smuggling cartels nationwide.
Photos shared on the agency’s social media pages showed confiscated barrels stacked on the ground under police guard — a visual symbol of the regulator’s tough new stance.
“EPRA remains steadfast in protecting Kenya’s energy sector and assures the public of continuous enforcement operations to safeguard consumers, secure revenue, and uphold industry standards,” the statement added.
The three suspects are expected to be arraigned in the coming days as investigations continue to expose the full extent of the smuggling network.
EPRA says the Moyale raid is just the beginning of a zero-tolerance crackdown on fuel cartels threatening the integrity of Kenya’s energy sector.