By Antynet Ford
Fourteen people are expected to be arraigned in court after they were arrested over the weekend by the National Authority for the Campaign against Alcohol and Drug Abuse (NACADA) during the Shisha products consumption crackdown in Nairobi.
On Sunday, NACADA arrested four more people during an operation aimed at curbing the sale and consumption of shisha products at a popular restaurant in Nairobi.
Over the weekend, NACADA staged the operation as part of a crackdown on establishments involved in the trade of shisha.
NACADA’s Compliance and Enforcement officers acting on intelligence descended upon the restaurant in Kilimani, Nairobi where they apprehended four individuals allegedly involved in the sale and distribution of shisha products.
Among those arrested were the manager, sellers, and a storekeeper linked to the establishment.
“These arrests mark a significant milestone in our ongoing efforts to combat the scourge of shisha consumption.” NACADA’s Anthony Omerikwa stated.
The authority said they are committed to dismantling the networks facilitating the sale and distribution of shisha, which poses significant health risks to the citizens.
The operation also resulted in the confiscation of a substantial quantity of shisha paraphernalia, including 46 shisha bongs, assorted flavored tobacco, charcoal pipes, and a meticulous stock-taking counter book used in inventory management.
On Saturday, the NACADA team arrested ten other people at two restaurants in the Eastlands area.
They were all expected in court to face charges. Nacada said they seized 78 shisha bongs and more than 200 assorted flavors.
The raid led to the seizure of 18 pots alongside assorted flavors at another joint in Eastlands in Nairobi where two persons were also arrested.
Another 60 pots and 126 assorted flavors were confiscated from another joint along Kiambu Road.
Shisha smoking has been outlawed in Kenya since 2017 after the government banned the use, import, manufacture, distribution, and promotion of tobacco products.