Authorities have intensified their crackdown on illicit alcohol in the North Rift after the National Authority for the Campaign Against Alcohol and Drug Abuse (NACADA) seized contraband worth millions of shillings during a multi-agency operation in Kapsabet town on Friday.
The early morning raid, conducted jointly by NACADA officers and the National Police Service (NPS), targeted three premises suspected to be key distribution points for counterfeit and smuggled alcohol.
During the operation, officers recovered large volumes of illegal brews manufactured in Uganda, packaged in plastic bottles and sachets, alongside hundreds of cartons of suspected counterfeit branded spirits.
One suspect was arrested at the scene, while another, believed to be the main distributor, managed to escape. Authorities also impounded a vehicle linked to the fleeing suspect, which was found transporting consignments of illicit alcohol.
All seized products were taken to Kapsabet Police Station, where they are being held pending analysis by the government chemist to establish their composition ahead of possible prosecution.
NACADA Chief Executive Officer Dr Anthony Omerikwa said the suspect who evaded arrest is well known to law enforcement agencies and has pending cases related to similar offences. He added that NACADA would pursue asset recovery proceedings against individuals behind the illegal trade.
“Nandi County remains one of the regions most affected by the consumption of illicit and toxic alcohol,” Dr Omerikwa said, noting that several recent deaths in the area have been linked to cheap brews suspected to contain harmful substances, including methanol.
Residents and local leaders who witnessed the raid welcomed the operation, urging authorities to sustain enforcement efforts to eliminate the sale of illicit alcohol, which they say continues to pose a serious threat to public health.
The Kapsabet operation forms part of a broader campaign by NACADA and other agencies to dismantle networks involved in the manufacture, distribution, and sale of counterfeit and smuggled alcohol across the North Rift region.
