Police in Mulolongo, Machakos County, have impounded a consignment of illicit liquor in a sustained crackdown in the country.
In a statement on Monday, the National Police Service (NPS) said 65 cartons containing alcohol labelled as “Starlight Vodka” were recovered from a saloon car abandoned at Shell Petrol Station in Athi River.
The driver of the vehicle is said to have abandoned the car and fled the scene after sighting the police officers.
“Today 12/02/2024, Police in Mlolongo impounded suspected illicit brew from a Mazda saloon which was abandoned at Shell Petrol Station in Athi River after the driver sighted Police presence.
“65 unlabelled cartons each containing 20 bottles of 250m labelled as “Starlight Vodka” were recovered,” NPS said.
The car and the consignment have been detained pending further investigation and arrest of the suspect.
The heightened crackdown comes barely a week after 13 people died in Kangai and Kandongu villages in Kirinyaga County after consuming illicit brew.
Several other people are reported to have gone blind after consuming the liquor.
Following the incident, the National Authority for the Campaign against Alcohol and Drug Abuse (NACADA) raised concern over the increasing number of illicit alcohol-related deaths and illnesses in the country.
In a statement, NACADA CEO Anthony Omerikwa warned the public against the consumption of liquor whose quality cannot be verified.
“NACADA wishes to caution the public on the rising cases of illicit alcohol-related deaths and illnesses and urges the public to avoid consumption of alcohol whose quality cannot be verified,” Omerikwa said last Wednesday.
