A file photo of police tape. Police conducted a crackdown on chang'aa dens in Machakos county on Tuesday, October 28, 2026.

The operation, involving the National Authority for the Campaign Against Alcohol and Drug Abuse (NACADA), the Administration Police Rapid Deployment Unit, Nyumba Kumi officials and local residents, targeted brewing dens between Katine and Ngomeni villages.

NACADA Principal Reinforcement Officer John Simiyu on Tuesday said the operation followed complaints from residents about illicit alcohol brewing in the area.

Simiyu said officers also recovered three metallic drums, one plastic drum and 20 plastic jerricans, each with a capacity of 20 litres, which had been buried on farms.

The suspects escaped before they could be arrested, but Simiyu said the team would continue operations in the area until those involved were apprehended.

Residents accused chang’aa brewers of polluting the Katine River, saying the water was previously used for domestic purposes and farming.

Lucas Ngila, a resident of Katine, said the river's condition had deteriorated over the years as brewing activities increased along its banks.

Thomas Kivindyo, who owns a farm adjacent to the river, said the contamination had made it difficult to continue farming on his land.

Kivindyo also claimed that chang’aa consumption had contributed to the deaths of more than six men in the area over the past two months. He said alcohol abuse had also strained families, with some men neglecting their responsibilities.

Another resident, Boniface Nguku, raised concerns about school-going children abandoning their education to seek income from illicit alcohol-related activities, with some also being exposed to drug use at an early age.

Nguku called on the National Environment Management Authority (NEMA) to intervene over the reported pollution of the river.

Tala Member of County Assembly Jackson Ndaka, who joined the operation, said residents wanted the crackdown to continue, citing concerns over alcohol brewing and the state of the river.

Ndaka said the water was no longer suitable for domestic use and called for sustained enforcement against those involved in the production and sale of illicit alcohol.

The raid comes amid complaints from residents of Katine and Ngomeni villages over the impact of illicit brewing on public health, livelihoods and the environment.

Authorities have yet to announce any arrests in connection with the operation.