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Police raid licensed city brewery over use of EABL bottles


Police Sunday raided a brewery in Nairobi and destroyed more than 60,000 litres of liquor as the war on illicit alcohol rages.

However, the drink distilled and packed by Tropical Wells Breweries at a premises in Ruaraka on Thika Road, is licensed by the Nairobi County Government.

The company has been selling an assortment of traditional liquor, which include, Tropical, Jamba, Waka and Bee beers.

The drinks were packed in bottles belonging to the East African Breweries and Heineken, a beer company in the Netherlands as a team, led by Kasarani MP John Njoroge found out.

“These bottles belong to East African Breweries and Heineken. This company has only put its own labels, on the bottles” said Mr Njoroge.

Members of the public tipped off officers at Kasarani Police Station officers, who raided the brewery in the morning hours.

“People detected the smell of alcohol yet the brewery was locked. They informed the police,” Mr Njoroge said.

The county government licensed the owner of the firm trade in traditional alcoholic drinks.

The businessman has even paid for a single business permit, which was renewed in April.

Some residents said the liquor was not sold in Nairobi, but was ferried to Kiambu and Murang’a on trucks.

The MP wondered how the company was licensed, yet according to him it lacks distilling machines.

“The drinks are chemicals mixed with water, which is left to ferment,” he said.

However, the business owner, who was not at the premises at the time of the raid, could not be reached for comment.

Area Deputy County Commissioner James Kamau said though the firm has a licence from City Hall, it lacked other licences from State agencies.

SOURCE: Daily Nation