Detectives on Monday arrested a key suspect linked to a violent and coordinated coffee thefts in Kimimini, following an executed criminal spree targeting local processors and cooperatives.
According to the Directorate of Criminal Investigations, the operation led to the recovery of a substantial haul of stolen coffee and the detention of a suspect believed to be at the centre of the illegal trade.
In a statement, the DCI said the crackdown was triggered by reported cases of coffee theft in Kimimini, prompting detectives to conduct a targeted pursuit that culminated in the arrest of a man they identified as a prime suspect.
The agency confirmed that the spree reached its most dramatic point on the night of November 25, 2025, when a mob of around 50 thugs, armed with pangas, stormed the premises of Sowek Kenya Company Limited in Waitakuk.
The DCI explained the extent of the attack, saying the gang sliced through the barbed wire fence, bound two security guards with ropes, and mercilessly assaulted them before vanishing into the night with the guards’ phones and a bounty of nine beds of drying coffee.
The scale and organisation of the operation, investigators noted, reaffirmed the threat facing coffee growers and processors in the region.
The statement further revealed that the attack came just 24 hours after an equally daring raid at Kiungani Coffee Growers Cooperative Society, where another group of armed criminals executed a sophisticated break-in.
According to the DCI, the thieves infiltrated the parchment drying section after digging a hole through the brick wall, vanishing with approximately 25 bags each weighing 50 kg of precious P1 coffee parchment.
Detectives say the two incidents, both audacious and executed with strategic precision, signalled an emerging pattern of coordinated attacks targeting high-value parchment coffee.
Through forensic leads described as crucial by the agency, investigators were able to trace the movement of stolen coffee and zero in on a suspect believed to be fueling the illegal trade.
The DCI identified the arrested man as Gregory Kingasia Wekesa, describing him as an individual who had long been notorious for purchasing coffee from dubious sources without any authorisation.
According to detectives, the evidence recovered at his residence linked him directly to the ongoing thefts.
Upon raiding his home, investigators found a significant trove of stolen coffee. The statement notes that detectives discovered 18 bags of coffee beans totalling around 1,800 kg, along with five bags weighing about 500 kg stashed inside his home, and an additional 13 bags weighing approximately 1,300 kg left outside to dry in the sun.
The total recovery forms one of the largest recent seizures tied to coffee theft in the region.
The DCI confirmed that the suspect is currently being held at Kimimini Police Station, together with the recovered coffee, as authorities prepare for his arraignment.
Investigators say the operation is part of a continuing crackdown targeting criminal networks that profit from stolen agricultural produce.
In its public appeal, the agency urged Kenyans to play a proactive role in exposing organised theft rings.
The DCI encouraged the public to share information anonymously, reminding citizens: “#FichuaKwaDCI. Call 0800 722 203 (Toll-free) or WhatsApp at 0709 570 000 to report anonymously. Usiogope!”
As detectives continue their investigations, the latest arrest marks a significant breakthrough in dismantling what authorities believe are well-coordinated networks exploiting farmers, cooperatives, and processors in western Kenya.
