A retired police officer is on the run after 2,075 crates of illegal brew were seized in a raid on his warehouse.
“We are after him. We know his most likely hideouts and we are watching them. His case is a clear demonstration that there are no sacred cows in this war against drugs and illicit brews,” said Murang’a South Deputy County Commissioner Gitonga Murungi.
Police sources reveal that a politician for whom the suspect worked as a bodyguard during last year’s election campaigns betrayed him.
The sources added that the politician warned the suspect several times to shut down the illegal distillery, but he ignored him.
“We called in officers from the KRA [Kenya Revenue Authority], the Anti-Counterfeiting Authority and the Kenya Bureau of Standards [Kebs] to authenticate the consignment. The verdict was that the suspect was involved in an illegal business,” he said.
Separately, authorities in Maragua town yesterday seized 100 crates of illicit alcohol destined for the local market.
“The consignment had been smuggled into the town during the night and our officers managed to seize it as it was being unloaded at a back-street warehouse,” said Deputy District Commissioner Joshua Okello.
Mr Okello warned local bars against stocking any brand of alcohol not approved by both the KRA and Kebs, saying they would be arrested and prosecuted.
