A multi-agency team led by the National Authority for the Campaign Against Alcohol and Drug Abuse (NACADA) has dealt a major blow to Kenya’s illicit alcohol trade after conducting coordinated dawn raids in Mombasa and Nairobi, leading to the seizure of hundreds of thousands of litres of suspected counterfeit alcohol and the arrest of key suspects.
The synchronized operations, carried out early in the morning, targeted well-organised networks believed to be behind the distribution of fake alcoholic products in coastal and urban markets. In Mombasa County, the crackdown focused on Kongowea, where officers raided four outlets and a residential home linked to an individual described by authorities as a powerful player in the county’s shadow economy.
During the operation, officers uncovered a massive consignment of suspected counterfeit alcohol, some of which bore Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) excise stamps that failed verification, while others were illegally stamped with labels belonging to different, legitimate alcoholic brands. Investigators said the findings point to a sophisticated counterfeiting scheme designed to evade regulatory checks and deceive consumers.
NACADA Chief Executive Officer Dr Anthony Omerikwa expressed shock at the location of the operation, revealing that the suspect’s residence shares a fence with Kongowea Primary School.
“It is utterly shocking that a counterfeiting hub is located next to a school and within a residential area,” Dr Omerikwa said. “This shows the desperate and dangerous tactics these criminals are now employing following intensified Government crackdowns in line with the Presidential directive on the renewed fight against alcohol and drug abuse.”
He added that the proximity of the illegal operation to an educational institution posed a serious threat to public health and child safety, noting that counterfeit alcohol has been linked to poisoning, long-term health complications and deaths across the country.
Authorities said the Mombasa operation followed weeks of undercover surveillance and intelligence gathering by NACADA officers. All four outlets targeted during the raid were found to be operating without valid liquor licences, further compounding the offences committed by the suspects.
At the same time, a separate NACADA-led team comprising officers from the National Police Service (NPS) and the Kenya Revenue Authority conducted a raid along Kirinyaga Road in Nairobi’s Central Business District. Acting on complaints from legitimate brand owners, the team stormed a major distribution point suspected to be supplying counterfeit alcohol to retailers within the city.
The Nairobi raid led to the arrest of one suspect and the recovery of 7,352 bottles of assorted suspected counterfeit alcoholic drinks, each measuring 250 millilitres. The haul, equivalent to 312 cartons, included products bearing labels of multiple well-known brands.
The suspect arrested in Nairobi is being held at Jogoo Road Police Station as investigations continue. The seized exhibits have been secured by KRA at a warehouse along Mombasa Road for further verification and forensic analysis.
Officials said the twin operations signal a significant escalation in the national campaign against illicit alcohol, with criminal networks increasingly pushing their operations into residential neighbourhoods and near schools to avoid detection.
NACADA noted that the successful raids demonstrate the importance of intelligence-led operations and close inter-agency collaboration in dismantling organised counterfeit networks. The authority reaffirmed its commitment to protecting public health and urged members of the public to remain vigilant and report suspected illegal alcohol operations.
“These actions are part of a sustained national effort to rid our communities of counterfeit and illicit alcohol, which continues to pose a grave danger to Kenyans,” Dr Omerikwa said.
Investigations into the two cases are ongoing, with authorities indicating that more arrests are expected as the crackdown intensifies.
