16 employees had been arrested after police raided an unlawful liquor distillery in Athi-river Mavoko Sub-county in Machakos county on Monday evening.
Faux Kenya Income Authority (KRA) stamps, packed branded liquor (over 200 cartons) and drums of ethanol had been recovered throughout the operation.
The crew led by Athi-river director of Felony Investigations (DCIO) John Kanda raided the premises following a tip-off from members of the general public who’re mentioned to have noticed a doubtful late-night enterprise within the premises with a number of godowns.
Following the raid, it was established the distillery was working illegally and packaging a combination of ethanol and water in bottles, branding, packaging and sticking faux KRA stamps earlier than the well-packaged liquor is ferried to the market.
KRA officers instantly established the stamps had been faux after establishing there’s an current model of packaged liquor (Blue Mountain) out there.
The officers mentioned the packaged liquor would have led to a Ksh 2.5 million tax loss by tax evasion.
Athi-river deputy county commissioner Charles Wambugu says the multi-agency has launched a serious crackdown on unlawful liquor distilleries to curb the unlawful enterprise.
Wambugu has despatched a stern warning to such entities saying it endangers the lives of customers
He says the proprietor of the distillery is on the run and a manhunt has been launched to ascertain his whereabouts.
“The director of legal investigations has accomplished a commendable job. Members of the general public are additionally key in making certain they provide very important data that results in the identification and raid of such unlawful companies. It’s unlucky that some rogue businessmen have turn out to be a man-eater society and not care in regards to the well being of product customers. We because the safety crew working with one other authorities company is not going to tolerate this unruly behaviour that exposes the well being of Kenyans. The cartels ought to be warned that their days are numbered, “the Dcc warned.
Wambugu additional says the safety crew will achieve forceful entrance to extremely guarded godowns which can be dominant in Athiriver to ascertain which sort of enterprise is carried out.
“Securing a godown with a fringe wall, electrical fence and well-guarded gates doesn’t scare away authorities. We’ll perform a radical crackdown on all Godowns to make sure they solely have interaction in a authorized enterprise. We’re carefully working with police forces, DCI, intelligence officers KRA and KEBS, ” Wambugu added.
The arrested employees are being held at Athi-river police station for additional interrogation because the impounded liquor is about for additional evaluation by KEBS.
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