Nairobi, January 29- A coordinated multi-agency operation led by the National Authority for the Campaign Against Alcohol and Drug Abuse (NACADA) has dismantled major counterfeit alcohol networks operating in Mombasa and Nairobi.
Acting on intelligence, enforcement officers carried out pre-dawn raids in several locations. In Mombasa’s Kongowea area, teams targeted business premises and a private residence believed to be linked to a key player in the illegal alcohol trade. The operation led to the recovery of a large quantity of suspected counterfeit alcoholic beverages, some bearing questionable Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) excise stamps or recycled labels from legitimate products.
At the same time, another team moved in on a major distribution point along Kirinyaga Road in Nairobi’s Central Business District. During the raid, officers arrested a suspect and seized more than 7,000 bottles of suspected counterfeit spirits packaged to resemble popular alcohol brands. The seized products were handed over to KRA for further investigations.
NACADA Chief Executive Officer Dr. Anthony Omerikwa raised concern over the proximity of the illegal operations to schools and residential areas, terming it a serious public health risk. He noted that the crackdown forms part of an intensified nationwide campaign, supported by multiple government agencies, aimed at disrupting illicit alcohol supply chains and protecting Kenyans from harmful counterfeit products.
