MOMBASA, Kenya, Jan 14 – Over 45 people have been arrested following an operation by the National Authority for the Campaign Against Alcohol and Drug Abuse (NACADA) on various shisha dens in Nyali, Mombasa.
In the crackdown on Saturday night at the Hide Out and Escape shisha joints, more than 50 shisha pots and over 10 cartons containing special shisha flavours were also confiscated.
According to NACADA Chief Executive Officer Anthony Amerikwa, the raids will be intensified across the country to free young people who have been caught up in the addiction.
“We got information that there are joints that have been selling Shisha. Shisha has been banned since 2017 and upon accessing the premises, we were able to apprehend 38 (among them 29 males) suspects including the proprietor and the manager,” he stated.
“We were able to collect over 47 shisha pots, over 700 shisha ingredients which we will subject to an assessment to verify the contents from the Government Chemist.”
Omerikwa urged proprietors of various establishments to operate within the law.
“We will not relent as a multi-agency to ensure that the law is fully complied with. We will make sure that alcohol and drug abuse is diminished in the country. There are criminal enterprises in Nyali and other places where young people are being inducted into alcohol and drug abuse, which must come to an end.”
Shisha smoking has been outlawed in Kenya since 2017 after the State banned the use, import, manufacture, distribution and promotion of the tobacco product.
The ban included advertising, promoting, distributing and encouraging or facilitating its use.
It also covers use, import, manufacture, sale, promotion, and distribution of the product.
Offenders face fines starting at Sh50,000 or a minimum jail term of six months.
