One arrested as NACADA seizes over 5,000 litres of illicit alcohol in Emali raid

The National Authority for the Campaign Against Alcohol and Drug Abuse (NACADA) has seized more than 5,000 litres of illicit alcohol following a multi-agency raid on a residential complex in Emali Town, Makueni County.

The operation, conducted jointly with other law enforcement agencies, led to the arrest of one suspect and the shutdown of an illegal brewing den operating within a housing compound. Officers also uncovered an unlicensed bar embedded in the residential area.

The raid came a day after President William Ruto chaired a high-level security meeting at State House, Nairobi, where substance abuse was declared a national development and security threat, prompting intensified enforcement measures.

Speaking at the scene, NACADA Chief Executive Officer Dr Anthony Omerikwa said the Authority had scaled up supply suppression efforts in line with the presidential directive, warning financiers of the illicit alcohol trade that enforcement would now target both individuals and assets.

He said properties found to be proceeds of illegal brewing and distribution would be seized, marking a shift towards asset forfeiture alongside arrests.

According to NACADA, the operation exposed a coordinated syndicate involved in producing counterfeit alcohol using industrial yeast to accelerate fermentation. The Authority warned that the brew posed serious health risks as the ingredients used were unsafe for human consumption.

“NACADA is at the forefront in leading a multifaceted, coordinated national response to this menace,” Dr Omerikwa declared. “The so-called ‘big fish’ should be warned: we are stopping at nothing. We are coming for you, and you will pay for your heinous crimes.”

Dr. Omerikwa credited members of the public for providing intelligence that led to the raid, noting that community cooperation was increasingly key in dismantling illicit alcohol networks.

“We laud the public for continuing to volunteer valuable information that is leading to the high-profile arrests and apprehension of those previously deemed ‘untouchables’ in society,” he said.

NACADA has urged the public to continue sharing information through its 24-hour toll-free hotline, 1192, as enforcement against illegal brewers and distributors intensifies nationwide.