A businessman went into hiding on Tuesday, April 25, during a police raid at an illegal alcohol business he ran inside his mansion in Kikuyu.
During the raid, the sleuths arrested four individuals found brewing and packaging alcohol inside the two-storey house converted into a manufacturing plant.
The officers claimed that the businessman and his accomplices were mixing different types of liquor and spirits, packaging them differently and selling them to unsuspecting Kenyans.
Additionally, they detailed that the businessman had established production machinery inside the mansion including procuring packaging and transportation materials.
“They are only producing one product but it is packed with different branding. It is just the bottles that are in different brands but the alcohol content is the same,” the police stated.
It seemed that the business was booming for the businessman because by the time the police arrived at the scene, the team was already loading its seventh lorry ready for distribution.
Moreover, the officers noted that the businessman had acquired fake Kenya Revenue Authority(KRA) stamps.
“They have been doing it for the past three months and by now, they had already packaged six lorries with the liquor. They had started packaging alcohol for the seventh lorry when we arrived at the house,” added the officer who was addressing the press at the scene of the crime.
The law enforcement officers shut down the plant and confiscated the alcohol which is to be used as an exhibit during the investigations.
Further, the authorities called on the businessman who was still at large to present himself to the authorities
The suspects were taken into custody and were awaiting their arraignment.
The arrests came just days after Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua ordered security agencies to crack down on illicit brew and other illegal drugs in the country.
"You have information on where the illicit brew is prepared. The police commander must have a meeting and shut down those dens permanently. You must ensure they do not reopen,” he ordered on April 15.
