Nacada seizes 250 crates of illicit alcohol in Nandi raid

The operation was conducted in collaboration with the National Police Service

A multi-agency team led by Nacada has seized more than 250 boxes of illicit alcohol in a major operation in Mosoriot Market, Nandi county.

One suspect was arrested during the raid.

The operation, conducted in collaboration with the National Police Service, is part of an intensified national crackdown targeting counterfeit and non-compliant alcohol.

The confiscated products have been submitted to government laboratories for analysis to verify their composition and compliance with regulations.

The National Authority for the Campaign Against Alcohol and Drug Abuse chief executive officer Anthony Omerikwa linked the timing of the operation to the ongoing school holidays, issuing a stern warning to parents and communities.

“This crackdown is a proactive measure to sanitise our communities before our children come home,” Omerikwa said.

“Idle time presents a significant risk, and the substances we seized today are precisely the kind that prey on vulnerable youth. We are acting to remove this poison from circulation.”

Omerikwa stressed that the seized alcohol poses a serious public health risk, particularly to minors.

He urged parents and guardians to remain vigilant and to monitor their children’s activities during the holidays.

“Our enforcement teams are dismantling the supply chain with zero tolerance,” he said.

“But protection begins at home. Parents must be the first line of defense. Engage your children positively and be alert to ensure this holiday period is safe and productive, not a gateway to substance abuse.”

The Mosoriot raid underscores the government’s sustained campaign against illicit alcohol, which officials say is key to protecting public health and ensuring compliance with Kenya’s laws.

Data from Nacada shows that illicit alcohol is part of a broader substance-abuse challenge facing the country despite ehanced surveillence oveer the years.

The agency also regularly features in major crack-downs on illicit alcohol but despite these efforts, Nacada acknowledges the enforcement challenge remains significant.

A 2024 research report on illicit alcohol in Kenya highlighted barriers such as weak enforcement, porous borders, corruption within regulatory and law-enforcement agencies and resource constraints at the government chemist’s office for processing evidence.

In the first half of 2021, Nacada reported that at least 1.7 million litres of illicit alcohol were seized across the country.

Specific counties stood out: for example, in one period Uasin Gishu accounted for 346,496 litres, Nyamira 239,605 litres, Nairobi 192,651 litres and Kericho 128,040 litres respectively.

The data emphasises that much of the illicit-liquor activity is concentrated in western and Rift Valley regions, with serious implications for health, law-enforcement and regulatory policy.