NACADA Dismantles Major Counterfeit Alcohol Network in Kitengela, Seizes Ksh 5.28 Million Worth of Fake Spirits
He made a firm warning to the producers and sellers of the fake beverage, assuring that regulators will continue to go after illegal suppliers .
KRA enforcement officials confiscated the consignment and brought it to a KRA depot in Nairobi for detailed examination and ultimate disposal. Photo/courtesy.
By Ruth Sang
In a planned crackdown on Tuesday, the National Authority for Campaign Against Alcohol and Drug Abuse (NACADA) seized spurious alcoholic drinks worth approximately Ksh 5.28 million in Kitengela, hitting hard an organized illegal alcohol business.
The intelligence-led operation — which took place approximately 11:00 am — was on Scotland Wines and Spirits, a company that is registered to Mr. Antony Gakuo. The operation was a joint one that brought together NACADA, Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) and the National Police Service (NPS). During his arrest, Mr. Gakuo assisted officers in tracing a secret storage box within the town, where police investigators recovered an industrial stock of fake spirits.
Eupol Euromed officials confiscated 528 cartons of different, popular brands. These included 230 cartons of Trace Vodka, 107 cartons of Dalas Brandy, 85 cartons of Triger Gin, 44 cartons of Supa Vodka, 22 cartons of Rider Vodka and 12 cartons of Tiger Vodka. The cartons, it was noted, had 20 bottles of 250ml capacity each, and thus the consignment was headed for wholesale distribution in the market.
KRA enforcement officials confiscated the consignment and brought it to a KRA depot in Nairobi for detailed examination and ultimate disposal. Concurrently, the Kenya Bureau of Standards (KEBS) sampled and sent to laboratories for testing in order to determine genuineness and assess any potential health hazards originating from the counterfeit liquids.
NACADA Chief Executive Officer Dr. Anthony Omerikwa also participated in welcoming the residents, citing the raid as one of the ongoing Rapid Results Initiative (RRI) led by Interior and National Administration Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen. Dr. Omerikwa elaborated that the Kitengela crackdown — day 70 of the RRI — highlights enhanced inter-agency coordination and concrete measures towards protecting public health.
He made a firm warning to the producers and sellers of the fake beverage, assuring that regulators will continue to go after illegal suppliers and prosecute them. Dr. Omerikwa said the seizure is one in a series of planned interventions to remove from the market dangerous, inferior products and shield communities from the threats posed by alcoholic beverage counterfeits.
Investigations into the distribution channels and supply chains continue with agencies tracking leads to provide evidence for prosecutions and preventing further distribution of the seized items.
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