Police from Thika East in Kiambu County on Sunday, June 2, launched a manhunt for a businessman accused of running an illegal manufacturing plant.
According to the officers, the man who previously manufactured animal feeds converted the plant into making illicit brews later sold to local entertainment joints.
The Saturday night raid led to the recovery of hundreds of liters of ethanol which were confiscated by the officials.
During the raid, police recovered over a hundred branded cartons, empty bottles, and package bottles with fake labels from local licensed distillers.
Police, as a result, asked the public for tips to help arrest the businessman behind the plant. They have also asked the suspect to surrender at nearby police stations.
"He escaped but with a multi-agency team, we are confident that we are going to arrest him," Hellen Chege, the Thika East Deputy County Commissioner remarked.
She added that the officers were carrying out a crackdown to weed out all business owners making illicit alcohol.
Crackdown on illicit brew has been ongoing in the country to protect young Kenyans from counterfeit products. In the past few months, about 20 Kenyans have lost their lives after consuming the brew.
The crackdown is championed by Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua who decried the devastating effects of the illicit brew in Mt Kenya region.
"Illicit brews are killing our children. The youth are sleeping in trenches. We were staring at losing an entire generation. That is why the Government issued tough directives against Illicit brews, drugs and substance abuse. We are not fighting businesses, that are selling legitimate liquor," he stated in March.
On the other hand, Second Lady Dorcas Rigathi has embarked on rehabilitating youth who have been addicted to the illicit brew.
So far, over 8,500 shops selling illicit alcohol have been closed down countrywide as the crackdown escalates.
