Unlicensed liquor distiller arrested, fake liquor, KRA excise stamps seized
Detectives attached to the Directorate of Criminal Investigation (DCI) have arrested an unlicensed liquor distiller in Elburgon, Molo sub-county.
James Nderitu, a businessman and former saw-miller was nabbed at his sawmill which he had converted to a liquor manufacturing plant.
In an operation conducted by detectives based in Molo, the investigators sneaked into the sawmill in unmarked vehicles posing as potato farmers and busted three workers who were busy packaging the liquor ready for the market.
Over 30,000 counterfeit Kenya Revenue Authority excise stamps and hundreds of litres of ethanol, were seized from the unlicensed second-generation distillery.
“Hundreds of counterfeited bottles affixed with fake KRA stamps were recovered during the raid,” read DCI report.
Three of his employees, Fredrick Kiprotich, Joram Choge and Langat Kipng’etich, who also acted as the plant’s connoisseurs and tested whether the potency of each brand had achieved its desired level, have also been arrested.
The fake liquor labels included those of popular brands such as Triple Ace, Kibao, and Konyagi, locally known as ‘Munyangate’.
Police also seized an alcohol meter, a measuring tube, assorted synthetic flavours, among other paraphernalia used in liquor production.
The four suspects are currently in custody at Molo Police station being processed for arraignment.
The raid comes in the wake of a sustained multi agency collaboration between DCI and KRA, that has saved the country billions of shillings in lost revenue, through counterfeit and contraband goods.
