ILLICIT BREW
Over 92,000 litres of Kangara and 10,000 litres of Chang’aa were destroyed in various parts of the Migori county in a bid to rid the area of illicit brew menace.
Speaking on Thursday during a forum that brought together multi-agency stakeholders at the Migori Teachers Training College, Migori County Commissioner David Gitonga said that so far 92 people have been arrested in connection with the illicit brew.
Gitonga also affirmed that over 30 wine and spirits outlets have been closed including five pharmacies and three Agro vets as the fight takes shape in the County.
The security agencies in the County have also nabbed over 600 kilogrammes of bhang since the start of the year with Isebania town along the Kenya- Tanzania border being the biggest entry point.
The County administrator said that the National Government Administrative Officers (NGAOs) will continue to work closely with other partners including the National Authority for the Campaign Against Alcohol and Drug Abuse (NACCADA), Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA), Kenya Bureau of Standards (KEBS) and Anti-Counterfeit Authority (ACA) to formalise and strengthen division and Sub- County teams against illicit brewery and drug abuse.
According to Gitonga, Isebania- Sirare border has become one of the major entry points for counterfeit products, illicit brew and narcotics in the South Nyanza region. He called upon the public to collaborate with the law enforcers and local administrators to nab the culprits and make the county a safe place for future generations.
Migori County Police Commander Francis Nguli applauded the efforts of the police in the fight against the illicit brew and narcotics in the County. Nguli however, called for harsher punishment of the culprits involved in the narcotics business to deter others in the illegal business.
“If vehicles nabbed transporting narcotics and counterfeits can be forfeited to the state, then the pain of losing a vehicle can deter individuals from venturing into illegal businesses”, proposed Nguli.
However, Migori County Director for Environment Tom Togo urged the NGAO fraternity to engage the National Environment Management Authority (NEMA) while disposing off the narcotics and illicit brew.
He disclosed that some of the nabbed illicit brews were being destroyed by disposing off the content to the rivers that greatly contribute to the water pollution that can endanger the lives of both humans and animals that depend on the same water.