Police seize counterfeit drinks in Nairobi, nab two
Police are holding two suspects over the production and sale of counterfeit alcohol in Nairobi.
In a statement on Sunday, the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) said that a team of officers based at Kilimani Sub-county executed the raid on a wine and spirits shop located at Kenyatta market and apprehended the two.
Police said that during the opperation law enforcement officers confiscated a substantial haul of counterfeit alcohol, including 664 cartons of 250ml bottles of various spirits brands, such as Supa Vodka, Trace, and Crayson spirits, all of which are suspected to be counterfeit.
“Following a tip-off by members of the public, a team of officers based at Kilimani Sub County raided a wine and spirits shop located at Kenyatta market and recovered 664 cartons of 250ml bottles of assorted spirits, among them Supa Vodka, Trace and Crayson spirits, all suspected to be counterfeit,” the statement read in part.
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The two shop attendants, identified as Maurice Mugambi and Kevin Muchugu, were apprehended in connection with the illegal trade of these counterfeit alcoholic beverages.
The arrest comes amid intensified efforts by the authorities to crack down on counterfeit products through undercover raids on dens of counterfeit alcohol disguised in bottles bearing the labels of popular brands.
The DCI seized a consignment of counterfeit alcoholic drinks on Wednesday October 18, as part of an ongoing operation to target high-level tax evasion schemes by traders in alcoholic products.
More than 2,000 empty bottles and 800 bottles of fake spirits destined for the local market were recovered after a meticulous operation conducted by detectives from the Economic and Commercial Crimes Unit and officers from the KRA.
The detectives also recovered 26,000 counterfeit KRA stamps, 1,080 litres of ethanol, 2 bags of well-packaged assorted bottle tops and assorted labels of different liquor brands.
Counterfeit alcohol is a growing problem in Kenya and it can be difficult to tell the difference between genuine and counterfeit alcohol.
Counterfeit liquor poses a serious health risk to consumers and can cause a wide range of health problems, from mild illness to death.
With the festive season approaching, when drinks are expected to be consumed in large quantities, it is imperative that Kenyan consumers are able to authenticate the authenticity of a drink.
Counterfeit products pose health risks and undermine the reputation of genuine brands.
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