A late-night raid led by police from Obama Police Station in Kayole has disrupted several illegal alcohol brewing dens near Dandora Bridge, in the notorious Mwengenye area. The coordinated swoop is part of an intensified crackdown on the production and sale of illicit liquor across Nairobi.
Highlights:
- Night operation targeted illegal brewers near Nairobi River in Mwengenye
- Obama Police Station officers led the multi-agency team
- Suspects arrested and brewing equipment confiscated
- Area has long been flagged for high illicit alcohol activity
- Crackdown part of broader war against toxic liquor in the city
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In the dead of night, a joint team led by Kayole’s Obama Police Station descended on Mwengenye, an area often flagged for illegal liquor activity. The raid, which took place near Dandora Bridge along the Nairobi River, exposed several makeshift brewing sites hidden in the undergrowth and informal structures
Officers arrested several individuals found at the brewing sites. Large volumes of the illicit brew, fermentation drums, jerrycans, and other paraphernalia were seized and destroyed on-site. Police believe the operation was supplying unregulated alcohol to nearby estates, putting lives at risk.
Mwengenye and the Dandora Bridge zone have long been identified as hotspots for illegal alcohol production, with previous operations barely denting the trade. The area’s proximity to Nairobi River makes it ideal for concealed brewing but equally hazardous due to toxic dumping and pollution
The raid aligns with the government’s push to eliminate unsafe alcohol and unlicensed distilleries, which have led to multiple hospitalizations and deaths in the past year. Authorities say surveillance will be intensified, and community tip-offs will play a big role in upcoming crackdowns.
Will these night raids finally dry up Nairobi’s riverbank brewing trade—or will the menace just find another hiding spot?
