The four were nabbed in an operation that was led by the county governor Alfred Mutua sleuths from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations.
The sting operations unearthed a racket that involved theft of drugs from government medical facilities, probably mainly from Machakos Level 5 hospital and then sold to unsuspecting patients in private clinics.
One of such clinics is located right opposite level 5 hospital where the four suspects were arrested.
The drugs were found being dispensed at the private facilities bearing government batch numbers and labels.
Equipment such as X-ray films with government labels and batch numbers were also found in the affected premises.
Also recovered were assorted lab reagents and drugs.
Mutua, who later spoke to the press outside the private clinics said his office had received numerous complaints about the theft of the drugs from the county's referral institution.
"We received numerous complaints from patients and members of the public that people are stealing drugs that are stocked in public hospitals and them sold to them in private clinics mushrooming close to the facility," he said.
"I immediately notified the DCI to investigate. This is unacceptable," he said.
Mutua added that he has also instructed a thorough investigation of the pharmacies and clinics adjacent to government hospitals in the county to safeguard the medical; supplies of the county.
"I suspect most of these clinics and pharmacies near public health institutions are operated by county employees. This is not right and police must investigate," he said, adding that employees found culpable will face the sack.
“It’s a common trend for patients to be referred to specific pharmacies and laboratories adjacent to the hospital for tests and drugs after being told that our hospitals lack drugs,” the county boss asserted.
Mutua also announced the suspension of all security officers at the Machakos Level Five Hospital as part of the investigations on the drug theft in the county.