The National Authority for the Campaign Against Alcohol and Drug Abuse (NACADA) has arrested 11 people and seized suspected counterfeit alcoholic beverages during a 10-day multi-agency crackdown in Nairobi.
The operation, conducted between August 20 and 31, targeted eight Nairobi sub-counties amid growing public concern over the manufacture, distribution and sale of fake, unsafe and illicit alcoholic products.
Eight Nairobi Areas Targeted in 10-Day Operation
According to NACADA, the enforcement teams conducted operations in Roysambu, Kasarani, Dagoretti North, Dagoretti South, Starehe, Lang’ata, Embakasi West and Kamukunji.
The authority said Nairobi is disproportionately affected by illicit alcohol and counterfeiting, prompting the deployment of multi-agency teams to verify information supplied by members of the public and investigate suspected illegal alcohol networks.
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The operation resulted in 11 arrests and the confiscation of quantities of alcoholic beverages suspected to be counterfeit.
NACADA said the enforcement exercise was not limited to individual retail outlets but was designed to help identify and disrupt networks involved in manufacturing, distributing and selling illicit products.
The latest crackdown follows a series of other operations in Nairobi in recent days. On August 27, a multi-agency team raided a suspected counterfeiting operation in Jericho, Makadara, where three suspects were arrested, and 315 assorted counterfeit alcoholic beverages were seized.
Officers also recovered fake KRA excise stamps, empty bottles and bottle tops reportedly intended for refilling.
Fake KRA Stamps and Expired Alcohol Uncovered
NACADA said investigators uncovered several serious compliance concerns during the 10-day operation.
Among the products and irregularities identified were counterfeit Kenya Revenue Authority excise stamps, uncoded alcoholic products, expired alcoholic beverages, and other counterfeit products.
According to KRA, alcoholic beverages manufactured in or imported into Kenya must bear excise stamps, and its Electronic Goods Management System secures and tracks excisable products. Consumers can also use the Soma Label application to verify the authenticity of excise stamps.
KRA has previously warned that manufacturing, offering for sale or possessing excisable goods without the required stamps, or with counterfeit stamps, is an offense. The authority has said enforcement can result in seizure and destruction of the products, closure of premises and prosecution.
The tax authority has also previously reported counterfeit alcohol cases in Nairobi, including an operation in which officers intercepted 38,200 bottles of vodka bearing counterfeit excise stamps.
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NACADA, KRA and KEBS Pursue Wider Networks
NACADA said it is working with KRA, the Kenya Bureau of Standards (KEBS), the National Police Service and other relevant agencies to establish the authenticity and compliance status of the seized products.
The seized alcoholic beverages are being subjected to verification as investigators pursue individuals suspected of manufacturing, distributing or selling counterfeit and illicit products. NACADA said suspects will be subjected to due process under the law.
On August 31, a multi-agency team raided an outlet in Mukuru Kwa Njenga, Embakasi South, seizing 240 assorted alcoholic beverages bearing suspected fake KRA excise stamps and arresting one person.
NACADA said the ongoing operations are intended to move beyond individual outlets and disrupt the broader supply chains responsible for the manufacture, distribution, and sale of counterfeit and illicit alcoholic products.
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