KENOL: Police in Kenol, Murang’a South, have uncovered a massive production and packaging hub hidden within a quiet residential building in the Kimorori area.
The discovery, which took place today, Tuesday, January 13, 2026, was triggered by the sharp instincts of a house agent.
The tenant, identified as Peter Waembu Waweru, had mysteriously disappeared after falling two months behind on his rent.
Concerned by the locked premises and the tenant’s sudden absence, the agent alerted the area sub-chief.
A cautious glance through a window revealed a startling sight: an assembly line of suspicious liquid and packaging materials, prompting an immediate police raid.
When officers from Kenol Police Station stormed the property, they found what authorities described as a “factory of poison.”
The sheer scale of the operation was revealed through a massive inventory of contraband, including:
Over 140 cartons of various brands, including Supa, Trace, Lyniber, and Crywan Vodka.
Many were found disguised as other brands like Smart or Kingston Vodka to deceive unsuspecting consumers.
Others were, 15 bags overflowing with empty bottles primed for refilling, 5 sacks of assorted bottle tops, and various drums and jerrycans used for transporting ethanol.
The police also found two alcohol content thermometers and large quantities of a liquid suspected to be a brewing base.
The officers also found a stash of 1,777 counterfeit KRA stickers, which investigators confirmed were being used to simulate tax compliance and legitimacy.
This bust is part of an intensified national offensive against illicit brews, following a high-level directive from President William Ruto during a multi-agency meeting at State House on January 7, 2026.
The National Authority for the Campaign Against Alcohol and Drug Abuse (NACADA) has labeled such operations as “attempted murder,” noting that industrial ethanol is often used in these mixtures, posing a lethal risk to public health.
While the tenant, Peter Waembu Waweru, remains at large, a manhunt is currently underway.
All seized items have been moved to Kenol Police Station to be used as exhibits in future prosecution.
