Police seized 240 cartons of suspected counterfeit alcohol and Kenya Revenue Stamps (KRA) stamps after raiding a rented house in Ngurubani town, Mwea-East Sub-county, Kirinyaga County.
The operation was carried out by police officers from Wang’uru police station after they were tipped off by a member of the public, according to Kirinyaga police commander Rebuben Muli.
During the raid, 260 liters of ethanol stored in 13 jerricans, two pressing machines, a roll of KRA stickers, 5,956 bottles, and three bags of assorted bottles were seized.
The police commander issued a stern warning to those who convert residential houses into dens of lethal liquor.
“This business is taking place in a residential area. You cannot suspect, you cannot know an ordinary person, a police officer on patrol will not know and that is the reason I said we acted on our informer,” Muli said.
The drinks are repackaged in recycled bottles of common brands and re-sealed for the market, according to the police commander, who also stated that the crackdown on fake liquor will spare no one who is found culpable.
“We are looking for the suspect who is at large, if someone wants to do this business, there are correct procedures, we will sustain crackdown against rogue traders until we have them out of Kirinyaga,” Muli noted.
“So far we are almost at 98 percent in eradicating the vice and I’m sure before long we will be at 100 percent.”
The owner of the house said she knew the tenant, and he had been paying the rent just like anybody else.
“I know the young man who had been brought up in a Christian way. Little did I know he involved himself in this business,” she said.
The cartons of fake liquor and all items seized were taken to Wanguru police station in two Landcruisers.
