MURANG’A, Kenya, Jan 13 — Police in Murang’a South Sub-County have uncovered a large cache of smuggled and counterfeit alcohol concealed inside a residential building in Kimirori area, dealing a significant blow to an illicit liquor syndicate.
According to the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI), officers from Kenol Police Station raided the house after a tip-off from a house agent who reported that the tenant had vanished without paying rent for two months.
The suspicious disappearance, the DCI says on its X account, prompted the area sub-chief to inspect the locked premises, where signs of illicit alcohol storage and production were spotted through a window.
Police forced entry and recovered hundreds of cartons of smuggled spirits, including Supa Vodka, Trace Vodka, Crywan Vodka disguised as Kingston Vodka, as well as J-Movers and Rangers Vodka.
Investigators also seized large quantities of suspected brewing liquids, 15 bags of empty bottles ready for repackaging, five sacks of assorted bottle tops, and packaging materials used to pass off counterfeit products as genuine brands.
In a major red flag for tax evasion, officers recovered 1,777 counterfeit Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) excise stamps, both already affixed to packages and unused.
“It was established that the KRA stickers on both the packages and those yet to be used were fake. All the recovered items are currently being held as exhibits at Kenol Police Station as authorities continue the manhunt for the suspect who remains at large,” the DCI says.
All recovered items are being held at Kenol Police Station as investigations intensify to track down the suspect and dismantle the wider smuggling network.
Authorities say the operation underscores the ongoing crackdown on illicit alcohol and tax fraud, which pose serious public health and economic risks.
