Displaying items by tag: crime

Mali: Three Indian nationals working at the Diamond Cement plant in Kayes were kidnapped after armed assailants carried out a coordinated attack on the facility on 1 July 2025. The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said that the incident was part of a broader wave of violence targeting multiple military and government sites across western and central Mali.

India’s embassy in the capital city of Bamako is reportedly coordinating with local authorities, law enforcement and plant management, and is in contact with the families of the victims. The MEA condemned the attack as a ‘deplorable act of violence’ and called on Malian authorities to ensure the hostages’ safe and swift release. It also urged Indian citizens in Mali to remain vigilant and exercise extreme caution.

Kenya: The Institution of Engineers of Kenya (IEK) has called for urgent measures to tackle the rising presence of substandard cement in the market, amid a reported increase in building collapses, according to The Eastleigh Voice newspaper. The institution has called for audits of manufacturers, enforcement of verification and random sampling from hardware stores and distribution centres.

In a statement, IEK said bags labelled as 50kg were often lighter, some weighing as little as 45kg. Its members had recorded compressive strength reductions of up to 25% in concrete made with some cement brands on the market, even those bearing the Kenya Bureau of Standards (KEBS) mark of quality.

Libya: The Municipal Council of Zliten called on Libyan Prime Minister Abdel Hamid Aldabaiba and the Ministry of Defence to urgently intervene in a dispute involving armed groups gathered outside the Arab Union Construction Company cement plant. The council demanded the withdrawal of forces from outside the city and urged peaceful solutions and negotiations. The intervention request follows an arrest order issued by the Attorney General for several individuals accused of halting operations at the plant.

Uganda: Tororo Cement has condemned a counterfeit cement racket after authorities seized over 700 bags of fake product in Osukuru, Tororo District. Five suspects were arrested following the discovery of two warehouses storing the material.

Senior manager of logistics and utilities David Omaido warned that such activities damage the company’s reputation, and urged consumers to buy only from authorised dealers.

He advised buyers to verify authenticity using Uganda Bureau of Standards stamps and by checking that packaging is in 50kg bags. The company is particularly concerned about the origin of the counterfeit packaging.

Kenya: At least 99kg of heroin and cocaine worth US$2.3m were destroyed at the Bamburi Cement Mombasa plant, at the request of the Directorate of Criminal Investigations Kenya, according to a social media post from the company. Bamburi Cement’s kiln was selected as the most secure method for incinerating the seized narcotics.

“Our kilns co-process waste and convert it into energy, reducing CO₂ emissions and supporting a clean circular economy. We are proud to contribute to this public interest solution that has eliminated a threat posed to our fellow Kenyans,” said Sustainability & Geocycle Director Jane Wangari.

Bamburi Cement has previously collaborated with multi-agency teams to dispose of over 5000t of hazardous waste imported into the country at its Mombasa facility.

Brazil: The Administrative Council for Economic Defence (CADE) has convicted two individuals for operating a cartel in the Brazilian cement sector and ordered them to pay fines of US$1.75m.

The investigation began in 2016, stemming from a wider probe into a Brazilian cement sector cartel. The individuals exchanged emails and attended meetings to allocate market share and manipulate public procurement prices to restrict competition and entry of new competitors in the market.

Taiwan: The Ministry of Finance has issued preliminary findings in its anti-dumping investigation into Vietnamese cement and clinker, confirming that Vietnamese firms engaged in dumping. Six out of 21 investigated producers had dumping margins of 16 - 20%, while others faced a margin as high as 24%. Long Son Cement recorded the lowest margin at below 17%, the only producer below the level initially alleged by the Taiwan Cement Manufacturers Association.

The Ministry of Economic Affairs has not imposed provisional duties due to lack of evidence of ongoing damage to domestic producers. The investigation began in August 2024 and will now continue its final phase.

Kenya: The government has warned cement producers about buying materials from unlicensed sources. Cabinet Secretary Hassan Ali Joho has berated cement producers for purchasing minerals from unauthorised sellers, arguing that this practice enables the operations of illegal miners who exploit the country’s natural resources.

During a meeting with cement producers and representatives from the Kenya Association of Manufacturers and Kenya Chamber of Mines, Joho said "We need your support in fighting against illegal mining operations, but sadly some of you provide markets for minerals extracted illegally by faceless entities that are not paying taxes, royalties and are giving nothing to communities for those minerals. This must stop.”

In the past three years, the government has closed 3000 illicit mines that were operating without licenses. The Cabinet Secretary noted that gypsum was a heavily exploited material by the illegal miners, who use it as an ingredient in cement.

Joho added “You have been buying and using gypsum in cement manufacturing, yet there is no record of anyone licensed to mine gypsum in Kenya. There are no records on production, payment of taxes and royalties or community programs undertaken by any gypsum dealer because they are doing it illegally.”

Nepal: The Public Accounts Committee of the House of Representatives has received a complaint alleging that cement producers have created artificial shortages in order to raise prices, according to Republica newspaper. A meeting has been scheduled to discuss the complaint.

Liberia: The Daily Observer has reported smuggling of essential commodities, including cement, across the Ganta Border into Guinea, potentially leading to shortages. Over 1000 bags of cement are allegedly transported daily from the Ganta market into Guinea, leading to an increase in prices.