NAIROBI, Kenya, Feb 8 — Authorities on Wednesday seized 750 liters of pure ethanol in a house within Kiambu’s Ruaka area, in an ongoing effort to combat illicit alcohol proliferation across the country.
The National Authority for the Campaign Against Alcohol and Drug Abuse (NACADA) disclosed that the seizure resulted from a collaborative operation involving officers from the Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) and the National Police Service (NPS).
Also recovered were 40 empty drums with a capacity of 250 liters each, believed to have contained the ethanol.
NACADA Chief Executive Officer Anthony Omerikwa said reports pointed to the use of the impounded ethanol consignment for illegal activities.
“Drinking this type of alcohol is risky to health and could have dangerous consequences. Counterfeit or illegally produced alcohol can lead to blindness and even death,” he said.
Omerikwa underscored NACADA’s ongoing partnership with National Government Administration Officers (NGAO) and other law enforcement agencies to intensify efforts against substandard, illicit, and counterfeit alcohol, prioritizing public safety.
He affirmed that heightened vigilance and sporadic crackdowns will continue across the country, and anyone found to be complicit will face the full wrath of the law.
The CEO urged the public to cooperate with authorities by reporting any information related to the illegal manufacturing, distribution, or sale of suspicious alcohol and other drugs.
The operation followed an incident in Kirinyaga where five people died while others were hospitalized after consuming suspected counterfeit alcohol.
