Local illicit brew distillers from Athi River sub-county have invented a modern brewing technology to evade arrests by security agents in the region.
This was disclosed by the area administration police commandant, Stephen Matu, who said the intense crackdown of illicit liquor in the region had made the culprits to be more creative and innovative, thereby inventing new technology of going about the illegal trade.
"We have noticed that the intense crackdown our officers have been engaged in for the last one month on illicit liquor products and brewers have made some of the culprits be more creative and innovative, they have invented new distilling technology to evade arrests," said Matu.
Addressing a press conference in his office on Friday, Matu said the technology had enabled the culprits brew alcohol especially chang'aa from their houses as opposed to river banks as had been the norm.
Matu said the brewers used charcoal in their kitchens, instead of firewood along the river banks stating that as the majority quit the business for legal alternatives of earning livelihoods, others moved it from bushes to their houses.
He said in the new invention of brewing, the distillers used half 200 litre drums modified to jikos with charcoal as source of fuel and placed 200-litre full drum in which they put their 'Kangara' staff inside.
The commandant explained that the stuff is then heated till it becomes vapor which is then passed to a pipe dipped into cold water which is then passed out inside a 20 litre-jerrican as a processed chang'aa brew ready for sale and consumption.
He said even though the technology was a challenge to the crackdown since it is not easy to be noticed, the security team had known how to find out people brewing using the technology.
Nelly Kemunto, a Kaanani slum resident, said the technology was already in use by several illicit brew distillers within the slum to evade arrests by security agents.
Kemunto said the culprits were using local skilled artisans to make the brewing apparatus and equipment that she described as confiscated and therefore not easy to be invented by any amateur.
Matu warned those behind the technology that if found making them, they would be arrested even if not found with any illicit liquor stating they compromise crackdown on illicit liquor.