NAIROBI, Kenya Aug 27 – The National Authority for the Campaign Against Alcohol and Drug Abuse (NACADA) has arrested three suspects and seized hundreds of counterfeit alcoholic beverages during a multi-agency crackdown in Jericho, Makadara Sub-County, Nairobi.
The operation was conducted on Thursday by officers from NACADA, the Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA), the Kenya Bureau of Standards (KEBS) and the National Police Service.
The team raided a suspected counterfeiting den where three people, including a woman allegedly found mixing and repackaging substandard alcohol, were arrested.
NACADA said 315 assorted counterfeit alcoholic beverages were recovered during the operation, alongside fake KRA excise stamps, empty bottles and bottle tops believed to have been intended for refilling.
Some of the confiscated products were found bearing Tanzanian excise duty stamps, raising concerns over possible cross-border counterfeiting and distribution.
The three suspects were booked at Jogoo Road Police Station and are expected to be arraigned in court on Friday.
The Jericho raid comes amid an intensified nationwide crackdown on counterfeit and illicit alcohol.
NACADA Chief Executive Officer Dr Anthony Omerikwa said enforcement operations had been stepped up, particularly in Nairobi, which he said accounts for 55 per cent of the consumption of what the Authority described as life-threatening alcoholic drinks.
Omerikwa said multi-agency teams would continue targeting individuals and businesses involved in the manufacture and distribution of illicit alcohol.
He urged members of the public to help authorities identify suspected illegal operations by sharing information through NACADA’s official platforms or its free helpline 1192.
“We cannot win this battle alone. We call upon Kenyans to be our eyes and ears and report any suspicious activities or outlets selling counterfeit alcohol,” he said.
The Jericho operation came a day after another multi-agency raid in Eastleigh, Nairobi, where authorities seized 868 counterfeit and uncustomed alcoholic beverages and arrested two suspects.
NACADA said the back-to-back operations demonstrate its continued efforts to disrupt the supply chain for counterfeit and illicit alcoholic products.
The Authority warned manufacturers, distributors and retailers involved in illegal alcohol trade that they face prosecution.
NACADA said further operations are planned in other high-risk areas as authorities step up enforcement against counterfeit and illicit alcohol.
The Authority maintained that the crackdown is aimed at protecting communities from the health and social harms associated with illicit alcoholic products.
