On Thursday, November 7, 2024, police seized hundreds of litres of industrial ethanol and other illegal substances in Juja, Kiambu County.
During the raid, 480 litres of industrial ethanol and cartons of various second-generation alcohol were taken.
According to Kiambu County Police Commander Michael Muchiri, this was a significant step in the fight against counterfeit products, which pose a health risk.
“We have just made a major breakthrough in the fight against second-generation alcoholic products,” noted the police commander.
“Today we managed to find 480 litres of ethanol at this house in Juja. On top of this, we have been able to find 163 cartons of assorted second-generation alcohol.
The second-generation alcohol was being produced and stored in a three-bedroom house in Theta village, Juja.
The alcoholic beverages were discovered in a house where they were being distilled, packed, and reportedly sold to nearby bars.
According to Muchiri, police also seized a vehicle heavily loaded with empty bottles, noting that the beverages were produced in a poor environment with no evidence of adherence to distilling standards.
“These products are of course dirty, prepared in a bad way and are completely a health hazard,” the police commander added.
The police also discovered a roll of Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) stickers, which are believed to have been used by the suspected manufacturer to evade taxes and deceive customers.
The police commander quickly expressed gratitude to the surrounding community for their assistance in making the arrest.
“We must sincerely thank the community for the role they played in our efforts today,” Muchiri stated.
“Without the involvement of the community in such operations, there is very little that we can do. We got some members of the community who were able to work closely with the police and assist.
”He also thanked the public for tipping off the police, which resulted in a successful raid. “This is a very secluded house and no activities seemed to be done.
However, that did not stop members of the public from giving us the necessary support and information,” the commander added.
