A multi-agency team comprising Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) Economic and Commercial Crimes Unit detectives and Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) officials on Wednesday raided a building on Kirinyaga Road, Nairobi, and seized illicit liquor.
In a statement, the DCI revealed that the counterfeit product, estimated to be worth Ksh984,000, was carted away to a KRA warehouse pending further investigations.
Police seek to establish the source of the alcoholic drinks, which were mixed brands packed in 4,290 pieces of 250 ml bottles.
“A seizure notice was issued to the suspect,” DCI stated in a notice.
Counterfeit alcohol, which often gets into the market through duplication of the original brand packaging after being filled with low-quality substances, is becoming a top-shelf product in Nairobi city.
Recent data released by the Nairobi County Government communique states that only 30 per cent of the 13,000 registered clubs in Nairobi operate with official licenses.
On Tuesday, Sakaja pledged to roll out the zones for the operation of nightclubs in an effort to provide a conducive environment for businesses and residents.
DCI and KRA heightened the multiagency raids to weed out unscrupulous agents in an effort to protect counterfeit goods from reaching the market and also enhance revenue collection.
On November 18, the two agencies raided the Chai estate along Kenyatta Road, where they seized several goods, including illicit drinks.
An area resident was suspected to be the main culprit behind the production of counterfeit goods and hoarding of fake KRA stamps.
DCI's Economic and Commercial Crimes Unit added that it prevented nearly 2,500 counterfeit alcoholic drinks from being distributed to rogue agents nationwide.
Police launched a probe into the source of the ethanol and the fake KRA stamps and also launched a manhunt for the trader.
