Police in Eldoret have confiscated illicit alcohol worth Sh400,000 that was being ferried via a car en route to Nakuru.
Addressing the press at Eldoret Central Police Station, Uasin Gishu County Commander Benjamin Mwanthi said security officers who were on routine patrol intercepted the suspected vehicle and discovered that it was carrying illicit ethanol.
“On Thursday, at around 4 p.m., officers from the Directorate of Criminal Investigation (DCI) arrested a driver who was transporting illegal alcohol. The suspect was heading towards Nakuru town from Western Kenya in a saloon car that had 40 jerricans of ethanol stacked inside, amounting to 1000 litres,” he said.
He revealed that the confiscated liquor was estimated to be Sh400,000, given that a litre of ethanol goes for Sh400 at the street price.
“The suspect driver, who is now in police custody, tried to escape from the police dragnet but was eventually caught and taken to court for charges,” added Mwanthi.
The county police boss warned residents, especially bar attendees, to be more careful about the kind of alcohol they buy. He said they should not buy second-generation alcohol or those made locally that contain unknown quantities of ethanol and also to report to the police in case they come across any suspicious sale of illicit alcohol.
“We are going to work hand in hand with the stakeholders, particularly the manufacturers of various brands, to ensure that the alcohol being sold to the people of Uasin Gishu is safe and sound for consumption,” the county police commander said.
He further indicated that they were still investigating to determine exactly where the suspect was taking the ethanol.
He noted that the county security team is keen on setting up proper measures to ensure that all the people still running illegal businesses are arrested and charged in court, adding that police are always on high alert to contain operators of such illegal business activities who keep on devising new strategies to evade the long arm of the law, but added that their efforts always fail, thanks to the intelligence of the security personnel.
Mwanthi urged residents to consider purchasing alcoholic drinks from licensed premises for the sake of their health.
The residents present at the scene commended the police for their good work of fighting illicit alcohol, as they promised to work together with police officers by reporting any suspicious cases of crime in their areas to enhance security.
“I plead with my fellow residents of Uasin Gishu to work hand in hand with the police to enable us to arrest the suspects and prevent our youth from dying due to the consumption of harmful alcohol,” said Kimtai Kirui, a resident of Uasin Gishu.
By Ekuwam Sylvester
