Nairobi — Three people have been arrested after police in Murang'a's Kambiti location area raided an illegal liquor packaging operation and seized 83 crates of various brands of illicit alcohol.
In a statement on Sunday, the National Police Service said security teams uncovered an illegal alcohol packaging operation in a residential area.
"The operation led to seizure of 83 crates of Santa King Ice believed to be a counterfeit alcohol, five crates without stickers, and arrest of three female suspects," the statement read.
The raid is part of an intensified fight against illicit brews and drugs amid growing concerns that more youths are getting trapped in addition.
Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua had urged Chiefs all over the nation to arrest drug dealers in order to end the drug misuse epidemic among juveniles.
Gachagua warned that Chiefs who fail to resolve the crisis will face sacking.
"The war on alcohol and drug abuse is on and the government policy on that matter is very clear. I pronounced it very clearly on behalf of President William Ruto that chiefs and their assistants are incompatible with drugs and illicit alcohol," he said during a meeting in Nyeri on May 24.
"In a location, we cannot have chiefs and illicit alcohol at the same time. One has to give way and since alcohol cannot make a decision because it has no mind, the person to make the decision is the chief," he said.
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"The Chief should decide if it is them who will stay in the location or the drugs."
Rehabilitation efforts
Gachagua said the government was considering establishing rehabilitation centres in all counties to deal with drug and alcohol abuse.
Speaking during a consultative meeting on Tackling Alcoholism in Central Kenya, the DP indicated that the initiative will aid in tackling the vice.
"To address the menace of illicit brew and substance abuse in our nation, we must all pull together in one direction to save our generation from perishing," he stated.
Gachagua pointed out that a multi-sectoral approach to this end brings an impetus to achieving positive results.
"In furtherance to various stakeholder meetings we have held over this subject matter, this afternoon, with the ODPP, National Government Administration Officers, and senior security chiefs from five counties of Central Kenya (former Central Province), we held a consultative meeting to address various challenges and issues to ensure this war is won," he revealed.
He also stated that President William Ruto is deeply concerned over the trajectory of illicit brews and drug abuse crises.
