A multi-agency security team has seized counterfeit alcoholic drinks valued at approximately Sh5.28 million in a major crackdown on illicit trade networks in Kitengela town, Kajiado County.
The Tuesday morning operation was part of a coordinated effort involving officers from the National Authority for the Campaign Against Alcohol and Drug Abuse (NACADA), the Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA), and the National Police Service.
Acting on intelligence, the team raided a retail outlet suspected of distributing counterfeit spirits, arresting one suspect at the scene.
The suspect later led officers to a concealed storage container within the town, where they uncovered an industrial-scale cache of fake alcoholic beverages packed in hundreds of boxes.
About 528 boxes of assorted counterfeit spirits were recovered, each containing 20 bottles of 250ml.
The packaging closely mimicked popular brands.
Revenue enforcement officers took custody of the consignment, which was transported to Nairobi for verification and eventual destruction.
Officials from the Kenya Bureau of Standards (KEBS) also collected samples for laboratory analysis to confirm product authenticity and assess potential health risks to consumers.
Authorities said the bust was part of the ongoing Rapid Results Initiative (RRI), a government-led campaign to eliminate illicit alcohol production and trade.
The initiative has intensified joint enforcement operations across the country, targeting unlicensed manufacturers, distributors, and retailers.
A senior enforcement official hailed the Kitengela raid as a success, saying it demonstrated the government’s determination to protect public health and dismantle criminal supply chains.
“This operation underscores our commitment to safeguarding consumers and ensuring only compliant and safe products reach the market,” the senior official said.
The multi-agency crackdown comes amid growing concern over the circulation of unsafe alcoholic beverages, which have led to multiple cases of poisoning and deaths in recent months.
The team has been conducting crackdowns in different parts of the country.
