Nairobi — Authorities have spilled over 1.7 million liters of unregulated brews and netted hard drugs worth millions of shillings in the ongoing crackdown on illicit brews and drugs, as disclosed by the Ministry of Interior.

Interior Cabinet Secretary Kithure Kindiki had in February 2023 revived the nationwide crackdown on illicit liquor and psychotropic substances.

Interior Principal Secretary Reymond Omollo disclosed the details Friday after reviewing the latest report on the progress of the mission.

"These figures speak volumes about what we're dealing with as a country and we will continue to fight the trade from its source while deploying other strategic interventions to suppress substance abuse and support addicts in their journey to recovery and quitting," Omollo said.

According to the report, kangara tops the list of the informal brews netted since January 2023 with over 1.6 million liters tipped so far.

Chang'aa and busaa, whose figures in the ongoing operation stand at 330,824 liters and 112,915 liters respectively, are also popular bootleg liquors among brewers and consumers.

Omollo divulged that the multi-agency team on the ground is under strict instructions to go hard on those involved in this trade, particularly the producers, distributors, and sellers.

"We must disrupt the trade to stand any chance of breaking the chain of harm that is flowing from the production to the consumption of these deadly drinks," he said.

He also singled out the widespread abuse of cannabis as a major cause for concern, with a total of 347,944 rolls, stones, and stems of the drug seized so far, majorly from Central, Eastern, and Rift Valley regions.

Deputy President, Rigathi Gachagua, recently declared that the government would crack down on the war against alcohol and substance abusers as well as those involved in producing illegal alcohol.