An illegal distillery that manufactures and packages counterfeit alcoholic products was on Thursday, December, December 29, shut down in Nyahururu town.
This is following a raid by detectives from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) and officers from the Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) based in Nakuru.
In a statement, DCI said the plant located at an expansive residential property in Mamboleo village, packages fast-moving cheap spirits sold in local wines and spirits outlets.
During the raid, detectives seized counterfeit alcoholic brands including Best vodka, Spike vodka, Simba vodka among other brands popular with the youth.
“Also recovered in the raid were rolls of counterfeit KRA stamps, labelling machines, ethanol and drums of the highly potent alcoholic drink among other related products,” DCI said.
DETECTIVES RECOVER FAKE KRA STAMPS AFTER RAID OF ILLEGAL DISTILLERY
— DCI KENYA (@DCI_Kenya) December 29, 2022
An illegal distillery that manufactures and packages counterfeit alcoholic products has been shut down today in Nyahururu town. The plant located at an expansive residential property in Mamboleo village, pic.twitter.com/bmGo35wQjj
The owner of the illegal plant identified as Charles Thiongo Mwangi has been issued with a seizure notice and police summons to appear before the KRA officers based in Nakuru and the police on January 11, 2023.
He is expected to be charged in court with economic crimes.
DCI further confirmed that the property has been sealed off by KRA officers pending further action, while the recovered items have been kept in safe custody for further analysis and audit.
Last month, two people were arrested over alleged production and sale of counterfeit alcohol in Nairobi.
The two included the main suspect Nelius Wambui and her driver Mathuku Maingi who was intercepted ferrying the alcoholic products to various destinations in the city.
DCI said Wambui, 29, was linked to a high-level tax evasion scheme.
The youthful woman and her accomplice were arrested on November 29 in an operation led by sleuths from the Economic and Commercial Crimes Unit (CCU) and officials from KRA.
Over 170 cartons containing thousands of bottles of counterfeit spirits destined for the local market were also recovered during the operation.
