By Erestinah Jane, July 13, 2026
A multi-agency security operation in Thika, Kiambu County, has led to the seizure of 13,000 litres of illicit ethanol and more than 17,000 packets of contraband cigarettes, dealing a significant blow to an alleged illegal alcohol manufacturing and distribution network.
The intelligence-led operation was carried out in the Umoja area of Thika by officers from the National Police Service (NPS) and other government enforcement agencies as part of ongoing efforts to combat the production and sale of illicit alcohol and other counterfeit goods.
During the raid, police arrested seven suspects believed to be linked to the illegal operation. The suspects are currently in police custody and are expected to be arraigned in court once investigations are completed.
In addition to the large quantities of ethanol and uncustomed cigarettes, officers recovered blending and processing machinery, counterfeit Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) excise stamps, packaging materials, hundreds of empty bottles and other equipment believed to have been used in the manufacture and distribution of counterfeit alcoholic products.
Authorities believe the facility was part of a well-organized criminal network involved in producing and distributing illegal alcohol and other contraband products, posing serious health and economic risks to consumers while denying the government tax revenue.
The latest raid forms part of the Ministry of Interior’s expanded nationwide enforcement campaign targeting illicit brews and unregulated second-generation alcohol. The government has identified the illegal alcohol trade as a major public health and national security concern due to its links to organized crime, tax evasion and the production of harmful alcoholic drinks.
The Thika operation follows a series of similar crackdowns conducted across the country in recent weeks. Multi-agency teams involving the National Authority for the Campaign Against Alcohol and Drug Abuse (NACADA), the National Police Service and local administrators have intensified enforcement efforts in both urban and rural areas.
In Nairobi, security agencies have shut down hundreds of non-compliant liquor outlets in areas including Starehe and Kibera, while similar operations in Mombasa have targeted illegal alcohol distribution networks operating along the Coast.
Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen has also directed chiefs and assistant chiefs across the country to identify and dismantle illegal brewing dens, particularly those producing traditional illicit brews such as chang’aa and kang’ara.
The government has reaffirmed its commitment to sustaining the nationwide crackdown, warning that individuals involved in the manufacture, distribution and sale of illicit alcohol and counterfeit products will face the full force of the law. Investigations into the Thika operation are ongoing as detectives seek to establish the full extent of the criminal network and identify additional suspects.
