KITUI, Kenya, Nov 21 – In a stunning follow-up operation that signals an unwavering government offensive, a multi-agency team led by the National Authority for the Campaign Against Alcohol and Drug Abuse (NACADA) has seized counterfeit alcohol with a street value of Sh14 million in Kitui County, just a day after a previous major bust dismantled a key distillery.
The overnight raid, executed with precision based on actionable intelligence, uncovered a massive cache of illicit second-generation liquor, meticulously hidden in a warehouse on the outskirts of Kitui town. The haul, one of the largest in the region’s recent history, included over 57,000 bottles of falsely branded spirits and the chemicals used to brew the toxic concoctions.
The operation is a direct continuation of the crackdown that began on Tuesday, which led to the dismantling of an illegal plant in Wikililye and the arrest of a notorious counterfeiter. Authorities indicate that this latest seizure is linked to the same sophisticated network, revealing the staggering scale and profitability of the illicit trade in the county.
NACADA Chief Executive Officer, Antony Omerikwa, speaking with palpable fury at the discovery, issued a blistering statement aimed squarely at the perpetrators. “The audacity of these merchants of death, peddling poison to our children, our brothers, and our sisters, ends now,” Dr. Omerikwa declared. “This Sh14 million seizure is not just a statistic; it is a cargo of potential corpses intercepted. We will not stand by as these unscrupulous vampires profit from the destruction of our social fabric.”
The CEO reiterated the government’s iron-clad resolve, vowing to pursue every individual involved in the deadly supply chain. “Let there be no ambiguity. Our commitment to weeding out this filth from the community is total and non-negotiable. We will use every tool, every law, and every resource at our disposal to hunt down these criminals. We will dismantle their networks, seize their ill-gotten wealth, and ensure they face the full, unforgiving force of the law.”
The latest bust has sent shockwaves through the community, with residents expressing a mixture of relief and outrage. The suspects are currently being held at the Kitui Police Station as investigations continue, with authorities confident that the pressure applied will lead to further breakthroughs in dismantling the county’s entrenched illicit alcohol trade.
