Nacada seizes 250 crates of illicit alcohol in Nandi
One suspect was arrested during the raid.
14d agoEMMANUEL WANJALANews
Nacada chief executive officer Dr Antony Omerikwa. /FILEAuthorities have seized Sh14 million worth of counterfeit alcohol in an overnight operation in Kitui, marking the second major takedown in the county within just 24 hours.
The operation, mounted by a multi-agency team led by the National Authority for the Campaign Against Alcohol and Drug Abuse (Nacada), targeted a warehouse on the outskirts of Kitui town.
Acting on intelligence, officers swept into the premises and uncovered what officials described as one of the largest caches of illicit second-generation alcohol seized in the region in recent years.
More than 57,000 bottles of falsely branded spirits were found stacked inside the facility, alongside chemicals suspected to be used in brewing toxic concoctions.
Officers at the scene said the haul exposed the scale of the illegal trade, which has been flourishing under the guise of legitimate business.
The raid extends the sweeping crackdown that began on Tuesday, when another team stormed an illegal distillery in Wikililye and arrested a well-known counterfeiter.
Investigators now believe both operations are linked to the same criminal network that has entrenched itself deeply in the county’s illicit alcohol supply chain.
Nacada chief executive officer Dr Antony Omerikwa expressed visible anger after inspecting the seized stock, issuing one of his strongest warnings yet to those involved in the trade.
“The audacity of these merchants of death, peddling poison to our children, our brothers and our sisters, ends now,” Dr Omerikwa said.
“This Sh14 million seizure is not just a statistic; it is a cargo of potential corpses intercepted. We will not stand by as these unscrupulous vampires profit from the destruction of our social fabric.”
He added that the authority, together with security agencies, will intensify the manhunt for every individual linked to the illegal network.
“Let there be no ambiguity. Our commitment to weeding out this filth from the community is total and non-negotiable. We will use every tool, every law and every resource at our disposal to hunt down these criminals. We will dismantle their networks, seize their ill-gotten wealth, and ensure they face the full, unforgiving force of the law.”
Residents in Kitui woke up to news of the latest seizure with a mix of relief and anger, many expressing shock at the quantity of illicit alcohol concealed so close to residential areas.
Authorities say the raid has dealt a significant blow to the illicit alcohol economy, which has left a trail of broken families, addiction, and health crises across the region.
The suspects arrested during the operation are being held at the Kitui police station as investigations continue.
Officers involved in the crackdown believe the sustained pressure will trigger further leads and expose the full breadth of the criminal enterprise that has been feeding the county with counterfeit spirits.
Security agencies say they intend to maintain the pace of the crackdown, warning that individuals trading in fake alcohol should brace for more raids, arrests, and asset seizures.
