How DCI ensnared ‘Auntie wa Harrier’, seized alleged fake booze

Detectives in Nairobi have arrested a businesswoman on suspicion of tax evasion and selling counterfeit spirits.

Toyota Harrier-driving Nelius Wambui was arrested in Nairobi on Tuesday November 29. The Directorate of Criminal Investigations claims she is “the main suspect behind the high-level tax evasion scheme.”

Acting on intelligence, detectives had intercepted a motor vehicle in Nairobi Central Business District and arrested its driver one Mathuku Maingi. Inside the van was a “highly potent product” that was being ferried to different destinations, says DCI.

Maingi led detectives to a bottle collection yard where used bottles of different alcoholic brands were assembled to be refilled with the counterfeited drinks.

A consignment of counterfeit alcoholic drinks was impounded during the raid. They were packaged in branded bottles that are popular with the youth including, Konyagi, Triple Ace, Smart Vodka, and Kibao. In total, over 170 cartons of the fake drinks were seized.

The raid came barely 24 hours after detectives busted an alcohol production plant in Njiru sub-County, Nairobi, and recovered rolls of counterfeited Kenya Revenue Authority stamps and impounded machines used in the production of the alcoholic drinks.

“The ongoing operation follows a recent directive by President William Ruto to the police, to conduct intelligence led operations targeting counterfeit goods, after it was discovered that crooked businessmen had devised new ways of evading taxation,” notes DCI.