By Naomi Cheruiyot
At least 19 drums of ethanol suspected to be used in manufacture of illicit alcohol were on Friday night nabbed in an operation at a residential house in Eldoret town.
The operation conducted by a multi agency team comprised of officers from the National Police Service (NPS) and the County Government also saw 77 cartons of suspected counterfeit second generation liquor found.
According to Turbo Sub County Police Commander Edward Masibo, the operation in the house located in a high-end gated community opposite Central Primary School followed a tip off they received from members of the public.
“We suspect the ethanol drums are the ones the culprits use to manufacture counterfeit Golden Dream and Silver Star alcohol brands,” said Masibo.
One person – a woman, was arrested during the operation.
Illicit alcohol market
The suspect is helping the police with a probe into possible links with other manufacturers of ethanol and illicit alcohol in the county, alongside their distributors.
She is expected to be arraigned in court on Monday, to face multiple charges, among tiem being in possession of illicit alcohol.
In addition, Uasin Gishu County Alcoholic Drinks Control Board director Koiya Arap Maiyo who was part of the operation expressed concerns that production of illicit alcohol was not being done in high-end residential houses.
“We are sustaining the fight against production of the illicit brew and second generation illicit liquor in the county working together with other agencies even if they have taken it to the high-end areas,” Maiyo said.
The operation was conducted barely a day after the county hosted an illicit trade summit that was attended by top county security officers and those from devolved units.
Uasin Gishu Deputy Governor Eng John Barorot speaking during the summit expressed the need for stakeholders to work together for the right against illicit alcohol to stand any chance of succeeding.
“There are emerging trends with one notably known as koroga that has really spread in the market. We are carrying out an intelligence based intervention where we are taking every recommendation to key actors for effective action plan,” noted Eng. Barorot.
