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Police seize fake alcohol worth Ksh5M in Eldoret
16th January, 2026 09:27 AM
Police in Uasin Gishu County have seized 1,406 boxes of illicit alcohol valued at about Ksh5 million and arrested a person of interest as authorities intensified a multi-agency crackdown on illegal alcohol and drug trafficking in the region.
The seizure was made on Thursday, January 15, 2026 during an operation led by the Kenya Police Service in partnership with the Alcoholic Drinks Control Board (ADCB) and other government agencies.
Acting on a tip-off from members of the public, officers first arrested a person of interest who was distributing the illicit alcohol in Eldoret town, leading them to a residential house in Pioneer Estate, where the bulk of the consignment was stored.
Uasin Gishu County Police Commandant Benjamin Mwathi said investigations revealed that the alcohol bottles bore fake Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) tax stamps, while empty cartons found at the premises pointed to possible repackaging of the illegal products.
“We mobilised our team and discovered that the place was being used as a warehouse, where we recovered about 1,406 boxes of assorted alcoholic drinks with an estimated street value of approximately five million shillings,” Mwathi stated.
Agencies including the Anti-Counterfeit Authority, KRA, and the Kenya Bureau of Standards (KEBS) participated in the operation.
“The suspect is currently under interrogation and will be arraigned in court once investigations are complete,” Mwathi said.
Mwathi further added that security agencies have, in recent weeks, confiscated about 1,500 litres of chang’aa across the county as part of sustained efforts to dismantle illicit alcohol networks.
He also warned that individuals involved in the illegal trade would face tough legal action, noting that officers had been deployed in all sub-counties to maintain the crackdown.
Speaking at the scene, ADCB Director Koiya Arap Maiyo described the seized alcohol as highly dangerous, warning that storing such substances in residential areas posed a serious risk to residents, especially children.
He reaffirmed the commitment of Governor Dr Jonathan Bii’s administration to eliminating illicit alcohol and drugs in the county.
“Eldoret will not be a haven for illicit alcohol or any other illegal substances,” Arap Maiyo said, urging residents to continue cooperating with authorities by reporting suspicious activities.
The operation comes amid a renewed countywide crackdown that has seen more than 110 people arrested in Uasingishu over the sale of illicit alcohol and drugs. County Commissioner Edisson Nyale said at least ten of those arrested were linked to drug trafficking, particularly bhang, with enforcement efforts now focusing on suppliers targeting college students.
Nyale warned that bar operators who display licensed alcohol brands but sell illicit brews or drugs behind the counter risk having their licenses revoked, saying such businesses were part of criminal networks destroying livelihoods.
Police Commander Mwathi said one of the key dealers involved in illicit brewing in the region had already been charged in court, adding that joint inspections with the county government were ongoing to ensure compliance by licensed outlets.
The intensified crackdown follows President William Ruto’s declaration of a nationwide war on drugs, in which he called for stricter laws to combat substance abuse, including the proposed death penalty for hard drug traffickers.
In his New Year message, the President described drug and alcohol abuse as a national development and security emergency, affecting over 4.7 million Kenyans.
The National Authority for the Campaign Against Alcohol and Drug Abuse (NACADA) has welcomed the President’s position, pledging to support government-led efforts to curb substance abuse across the country.
