10,000 litres of suspected ethanol nabbed in a petroleum tanker

A petroleum tanker was on Friday intercepted by detectives in Lari sub-county in Kiambu county suspected to be transporting 10,000 litres of industrial ethanol.

Kiambu County Commissioner George Matundura said three occupants of that Isuzu FRR truck were also arrested by the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) detectives.

He revealed that the detectives were tipped off about the consignment and immediately proceeded to the highway to patrol.

On arrival at Nyambari region, the lorry was signaled to stop and the offices started investigating it and became suspicious about the alleged industrial ethanol.

It was towed to Lari police station where officers from Kenya Revenue Authority were also informed and came.

Matundura spoke at Lari police station while being accompanied by County police commander Kennedy Samani, Lari OCPD Emily Ngaruiya and other senior officers.

He said the suspected industrial ethanol has been nabbed at a time when the country has embarked on the war aganisnt illicit alcoholic drinks which are being brewed using ethanol leaving consumers with health problems and others dead.

"The lorry has been nabbed at a time when the government is investigating the source of the illicit brews that are wrecking havoc to our society. We are investigating it up and down. We want to know everything," he said.

The county commissioner said a sample of the alleged industrial ethanol will be taken to government chemist for anlysis as investigations goes on to ascertain it.

Samani said the DCI officers were investigating how the alleged industrial ethanol was being transported using a petroleum tanker and where it was being taken to.

"We shall also be checking about the ownership of the vehicle and also the company it transports it's fuel among other details," he said.

The police commander issued a stern warning to motorists who have started using different vehicles to pass transport suspect illegal and substandard goods.

Samani revealed that, the police will mount roadblocks to all entries of the county so as to check all tanker's, so that they may not pass illicit brews in large quantities.

"Unscrupulous traders using different vehicles to disguise that they were transporting something that is labeled on the vehicle will be caught. We shall be checking all lorries entering our county," he said.