Police Raid Wines & Spirits Shop At Kenyatta Market
The raid also led to the arrest of two of the shop's attendants amidst ongoing verification by officials from the Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA).
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Police officers in Kilimani Sub-County on Sunday, November 5 seized an array of suspected counterfeit alcoholic drinks from a wines and spirits shop at Kenyatta Market in Nairobi.
A report by the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) revealed that intelligence from members of the public led the officers to the alcoholic drinks premises.
The raid also led to the arrest of two of the shop's attendants amidst ongoing verification by officials from the Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA).
A box containing suspected counterfeit alcohol seized by police officers on November 5, 2023. /DCI
"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.
"Two shop attendants namely Maurice Mugambi and Kevin Muchugu were arrested as verification by KRA officials is undertaken," stated the DCI.
The arrest comes amidst heightened efforts by authorities to crack down on counterfeit products through sting raids on dens harbouring fake alcohol disguised in bottles with labels from popular brands.
DCI on Wednesday, October 18 seized a consignment of counterfeit alcoholic drinks as part of an ongoing operation on high-level tax evasion schemes by traders dealing in alcoholic products.
Over 2,000 empty bottles and 800 bottles of counterfeit spirits destined for the local market were recovered, following a meticulous operation conducted by detectives from the Economic and Commercial Crimes Unit and officials from KRA.
The sleuths also recovered 26,000 pieces of counterfeit KRA stamps, 1,080 litres of Ethanol, 2 sacks of well-packaged assorted bottle tops and assorted labels of different alcoholic brands.
Fake liquor is a growing problem in Kenya, and it can be challenging to tell the difference between genuine and counterfeit liquor.
Counterfeit liquor poses a severe health risk to consumers and can cause a wide range of health problems, from mild illness to death.
With the festive season approaching where drinks are expected to be in mass circulation, authenticating the genuineness of a drink by Kenyan consumers is imperative.
This is because counterfeit products pose health risks and undermine the reputation of genuine brands.
Also Read: A Guide To Checking If Your Favourite Alcoholic Drink Is Fake
