Kajiado — In a significant blow to the illicit alcohol trade, a multi-agency team yesterday unearthed a massive cache of counterfeit spirits with an estimated street value of Ksh 5.28 million in a daring daylight operation in Kitengela town.
The intelligence-driven raid, conducted on Tuesday at approximately 11:00 AM, targeted the Scotland Wines and Spirits Shop, owned by Mr. Antony Gakuo. The operation was spearheaded by the National Authority for the Campaign Against Alcohol and Drug Abuse (NACADA), in close collaboration with enforcement officers from the Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) and the National Police Service (NPS).
Following his apprehension, the suspect, Mr. Gakuo, led the officers to a concealed storage container within the town. Upon being opened under his supervision, the container revealed an industrial-scale stockpile of suspected counterfeit alcohol.
The staggering haul included 528 boxes of various popular spirit brands. The recoveries comprised 230 boxes of Trace Vodka, 107 boxes of Dalas Brandy, 44 boxes of Supa Vodka, 22 boxes of Rider Vodka, 85 boxes of Triger Gin, and 12 boxes of Tiger Vodka. Each box contained 20 bottles of 250ml, pointing to a sophisticated distribution network aimed at flooding the market with dangerous, substandard products.
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The KRA enforcement team took custody of the entire consignment, which was promptly escorted to the KRA yard in Nairobi for further investigation and eventual destruction. Simultaneously, officers from the Kenya Bureau of Standards (KEBS) collected numerous samples for rigorous laboratory analysis to confirm the products' authenticity and determine the level of public health risk.
Attributing the success to a broader government initiative, NACADA Chief Executive Officer, Dr. Anthony Omerikwa, stated that the operation is a direct component of the ongoing Rapid Results Initiative (RRI) directed by the Cabinet Secretary for Interior and National Administration, Hon. Kipchumba Murkomen.
"This successful operation in Kitengela, now on the 70th day of the Rapid Results Initiative, is a clear testament to our sustained resolve," Dr. Omerikwa declared. "The RRI, under the firm guidance of CS Murkomen, has galvanized our multi-agency approach, leading to these impactful results that safeguard our communities."
Issuing a stern warning to those engaged in the illegal trade, the CEO was unequivocal: "To all the merchants of death engaged in the criminal counterfeiting and drug sale business, hear this clearly: NACADA is coming for you. Your days of profiting from the health and lives of Kenyans are numbered. We will pursue you, we will find you, and we will ensure you face the full force of the law. This seizure is just the beginning."
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The operation underscores the government's intensified war against illicit alcohol and drugs, signaling a new era of relentless pursuit against manufacturers and distributors of counterfeit substances.
