The trade of substandard foodstuffs is controlled by criminal cartels that run from Kenya with regional links to Uganda, Tanzania and Somalia.
While genuine traders follow Kenya's import regulations, criminals are bringing in food products such as sugar, maize, rice, milk powder, vegetables and pulses full of mercury, lead and other insoluble matters unfit for human consumption.
There are three main value chains and routes used by criminals to smuggle or import food into Kenya.
One report estimates that 150 000 tonnes of sugar valued at US$400 million are smuggled into Kenya from Somalia every year, denying the Kenyan government the revenue owed to it.
Many government-backed food sector industries such as sugar and dairy are struggling to stay afloat in Kenya, leaving most of the industry to the private sector.
