Poison in a bottle: Inside the deadly illicit alcoholic brews trade

Counterfeit alcohol is claiming lives across Kenya as illicit brewers evade the law. [iStockphoto]

A bottle of Aquila Vodka sits on a shelf in a small pub in Uthiru, next to a popular pork joint. It retails for Sh160. A few shelves away, Shakers Vodka carries the same price. Klassic Vodka, Blue Mountain, Bob Vodka, and Crescent all sell for between Sh140 and Sh160. The same prices hold in Machakos, Kiambu and Ruiru. But according to the Alcoholic Beverages Association of Kenya (ABAK), producing a single 250ml bottle of spirits costs Sh184.81. The math does not work. And when the math does not work in the alcohol business, people die.

Some of these alcohols have copied the names of legitimate drinks, with the catch being the price. For example, a legitimate Shakers Vodka 750ml bottle retails at a minimum of Sh3,000 but it is found mainly in the US.