Stock sub standard liquor at your own peril, warns the police

 The Mountain Journal

Formidable teams formed to deal with rogue illicit liquor in Murang'a have unearthed the presence of counterfeits stocked in the licensed outlets.

 There has been a scuffle between the police and the bar owners defending confiscation of the products citing they had been distributed by genuine suppliers, apart from lacking stamps from KRA and Kebs.

The multi agency teams has been combing the sub counties looking for the dealers behind the illicit business from the towns to the villages.

 Operation to sanitize the counties in Central Kenya kicked off immediately Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua and Inspector General of Police Japeth Koome issued a directive to the police and administrators to wipe out the illicit brews from the Central region.

Murang’a County Police Commander David Mathiu said in three days have unearthed tens of outlets without valid licenses, and operating in disrespect of opening and closing hours, that saw more than 30 attendants nabbed.

 “We have managed to destroyed more than 3,000 liters of masebebu and 6,000 litres of changaa,” said the police commander adding that the crackdown would  continue.

Also 15 kilogrammes of bhang was netted during the intensive search celebrated by residents who have lived in intimidation by peddlers, some growing bhang in their kitchen gardens.

Mathiu said he will deal with alcoholism menace through the support of the multi agency teams that will help in monitoring the people behind the illicit products in the locality.

 Also in the Chania river banks, the police  team seized apparatus used by the merchants to manufacture the illicit brews. 

 In Murang'a there are 2,996 bars, with another 2,000 seeking fresh licenses  from the Murang'a county government.

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