Seven suspects have been arrested and alcohol worth millions of shillings impounded following a multi-agency operation at Pala area on the border of Kericho and Kisumu counties.
Security officers received a tip off from members of the public after a suspicious vehicle was spotted entering an isolated mabati structure in the sparsely populated area.
Police officers from Nyando Sub- County (Kisumu) and Soin Police Station (Kericho) acted swiftly and secured the scene.
Kericho County Commissioner (CC) Gilbert Kitiyo said 2,740 bottles of packed alcohol were found at the makeshift house.
The illegal drinks recovered, he said include 56 cartons of space Vodka, 27 cartons of African Blend Vodka and 54 cartons of Best Patiala Brand totalling to 685 litres.
Other fake drinks found at the premises, he said include Venice, Power, Ace, Golden Star, African Spice and Space.
The officers, he added, also recovered 1,070 litres of ethanol, 35,000 fake Kenya Revenue Authority excise duty stamps.
Also recovered at the compound were 10,000 empty bottles, an alcohol meter and cartons used to package the commodity.
The consignment, he said, was estimated to be worth millions of shillings adding that samples shall be taken to the government chemist for testing before the actual value is established.
“Once we have the results from the government chemist is when we shall be able to tell the street value of these products. However, from the packaged cartons the government would have fetched Sh.250,000 in excise duty,” he said.
Kitiyo said the suspects who were in the process of setting up a factory to package illegal alcoholic drinks are believed to have migrated from Nakuru.
“We have examined the packaged products and the names labelled on them show that the drinks were destined for Nakuru and central Kenya,” he said.
Police officers, he added, have impounded the vehicle which was being used to transport the products.
“We have already done a search which shows it belongs to a Mr. James Nderitu. Therefore, Police have launched an investigation to establish his connection with what we have discovered here today,” he said.
The County Commissioner lauded members of the public for volunteering information to security agencies asking them to remain vigilant for the war on illicit brews and narcotics to succeed.
He said the multi-agency operation which has so far closed down 1,560 bars in Kericho county will continue until the menace is eradicated.
By Chris Mahandara
