A woman was on Monday evening nabbed with 2kg of a chemical suspected to be used for preserving the dead at brewing den in Athi River, Machakos County.
Jenipher Akwandi was arrested in a joint raid conducted in Kanaani Slum by three chiefs from Athi River district with reinforcement from Administration Police officers from the region.
Mavoko location chief Nzau Komo and assistant chiefs Patricia Mwanzia and Cosmas Musyoki of Kanaani and Mavoko sub locations respectively launched an intensive crackdown on local illicit liquor in the slum following leads from residents.
Residents said that the den stocked liquor in large scale and supplied several retailers from various slums within Athi River town and its environs.
Chief Komo who addressed press at the scene shortly after recovering the chemical at 8.20pm said the woman popularly known as 'Mama Sadam' was also arrested with 200 litres of Kangara under fermentation.
"She does not sell directly to end-users but rather has several retailers whom she supplies. There is a storeroom which we suspect she hoards the brew before transportation,” said Komo.
Komo said that the suspect might have been using formalin, the chemical found packed in a transparent polythene paper, as part of the brew.
"She said that the unused 2 kg consignment is 'dawa' sold together with jaggery at a retail shop in Athi River town to catalyze the brewing process for quick fermentation," said Komo.
The chief said though there was no known death report caused by consumption of illicit liquor from the brewer, the product was unhealthy and dangerous for human consumption given that it was distilled under unhygienic conditions along with embalming chemicals.
He said they collected the entire distilling apparatus including three 200-litre drums, three half-full 150-litre drums, six 20-litre jerrycans and a copper distillation pipe.
The woman is being held at Athi River police station awaiting arraignment in court as police continue to pursue other culprits engaged in the illicit business.
The chief said the woman was a notorious illicit liquor brewer as she had been arrested and arraigned in court severally but never imprisoned.
The chief advised those still engaging in the illegal trade to quit since public cooperation would lead to their arrest.