Dozens of Ugandan-made brews have been seized following a sting operation against illicit products in Kapsabet.
The operation led by the National Authority for the Campaigns against Drug Abuse (NACADA) and the National Police Service (NPS), raided three notorious counterfeit alcohol outlets in Kapsabet town.
on Friday morning and netted dozens of illicit.
The authority in a statement said the raid targeted entertainment joints and suspicious shops following tips from the public.
One suspect was arrested as the sleuths recovered huge volumes of smuggled Ugandan-manufactured alcohol, packaged in plastic bottles and sachets.
The illicit brands, with an estimated street value running into an upward of Sh1 million, were taken to Kapsabet Central police station, awaiting analysis by the government chemist.
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NACADA Chief Executive Officer Anthony Omerikwa said that the suspect who escaped the police dragnet is a serial illicit brew dealer in the locality and has multiple cases related to brew smuggling in the area.
A Probox model vehicle, belonging to the suspect, was impounded and found loaded with consignments of the Ugandan brands of alcohol.
“The individual we are pursuing is not new to this illegal trade. He has been on our radar. The Authority, in conjunction with other agencies, will immediately commence comprehensive asset recovery processes with the ultimate goal of forfeiture. We are determined to hit these cartels where it hurts most, particularly their finances,” he said.
He further revealed that Nandi County is among the fertile grounds for alcohol smugglers in the region and they are zeroing in the key players in the illicit brew production and distribution.
“With the assistance of our intelligence members of the community, we are now squarely focused on nabbing the main manufacturers, distributors, and sellers of this poison. The goal is unequivocal: to rid Nandi County of this menace that is destroying families and killing our youth,” affirmed Omerikwa.
The operation follows President William Ruto's call for the crackdown on the illicit brew, which is termed a serious social and economic problem in the country.