Five suspects were arrested on Saturday morning in a police operation targeting illicit brew dealers in Kathome village, Kasaala sublocation, Kitui county.
According to the National Police Service (NPS), the operation was conducted by officers from Ikutha police station in Ikutha subcounty in the early hours of Saturday.
During the swoop, police seized 205 litres of mukasa, an illicit brew, from the suspects.
All five were taken to Ikutha police station for processing and will be arraigned in court.
In a statement, the NPS said it “remains steadfast in its fight against illicit brews and narcotic drugs,” adding that “operations intensify across the country.”
The crackdown in Kitui comes amid sustained nationwide efforts to curb the production and distribution of illegal alcohol.
In recent days, several operations have been carried out across different parts of the country, reflecting a broader government initiative to eliminate the illicit trade.
In Nairobi’s Kayole area, police officers destroyed over 100 litres of kangara during a joint security operation near Dandora bridge, further underscoring the national focus on eradicating harmful brews.
Similar efforts have been witnessed in other counties, including Koibatek in Baringo where two suspects were found with 300 litres of illicit liquor in Maji Mazuri village.
Authorities in Tharaka Nithi have also intensified the fight, with four suspects apprehended and 200 litres of illegal alcohol seized in Iruri village.
In Nandi County, police recovered 240 litres of chang’aa, concealed in sacks, during operations in Kapsabet while in Nairobi’s Kibera, law enforcement officers seized a large quantity of illicit alcohol, including 2,000 litres of kangara and 350 litres of chang’aa.
These recent developments highlight the widespread nature of the illicit alcohol problem and the government’s ongoing resolve to tackle it head-on.
The operation in Kitui is part of these intensified efforts to crack down on the manufacture and sale of harmful brews.
Police say the Kathome swoop, like others happening countrywide, is not an isolated incident but part of a sustained campaign aimed at safeguarding communities from the dangers of illicit alcohol.
