The pre-dawn, multi-agency operation targeted a property allegedly run by a man described by investigators as a long-time major player in the region’s illicit alcohol trade. Officers recovered thousands of litres of counterfeit and illicit alcohol from the main site.
A second, simultaneous raid at one of the suspect’s residences uncovered warehouses stocked with thousands of empty plastic bottles and unlabelled packaging cartons, pointing to an extensive counterfeiting operation.
Among the seized contraband were falsely branded spirits and large quantities of liquor believed to have originated from Uganda, illegally repackaged into unlabelled 250-millilitre plastic sachets.
The operation turned chaotic when the primary suspect arrived at the secured premises and attempted to force his way in. NACADA officers said he mobilised a group of individuals who pelted the security team with stones in an effort to disrupt the recovery of the illicit goods.
Despite the confrontation, officers maintained control of the scene and continued the operation.
According to NACADA, intelligence reports link the suspect to long-running illicit trade in the region. Officials said he has previously been viewed as “untouchable” due to alleged connections to influential figures.
In a statement after the raid, NACADA Chief Executive Officer Dr Anthony Omerikwa said the operation was part of intensified intelligence-led efforts to dismantle drug and alcohol syndicates.
“All applicable laws, including those that allow for confiscation of assets acquired through criminal enterprise, will be pursued,” Dr Omerikwa said.
The raid comes a day after another NACADA operation in Ahero in which officers seized cannabis valued at an estimated Sh4 million from a residential house located opposite Ahero Girls High School.
Dr Omerikwa said the back-to-back operations reflect a broader escalation in enforcement following a presidential directive to intensify the fight against drug and substance abuse.
The confiscated alcohol has been transferred to a Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) safe house, where it will be held pending verification and laboratory analysis as investigations and prosecution preparations continue.
The suspect is in custody awaiting processing.
