Two arrested over deadly illegal alcohol in Kenya

Two people have been arrested after illegally made poisonous alcohol killed dozens of people in Kenya.

Two people have been arrested and more are being hunted by Kenyan police following the deaths of 70 people who drank illegal toxic alcohol

Around 70 people from the eastern and central cities of Embu, Kitui, Kiambu Makueni and Murang’a died this week after drinking homemade alcohol believed to have been laced with industrial chemicals.

Officials have claimed that the toxic spirits, which also caused several people to go blind, may have contained chemicals sourced from a single dealer.

However, in contrast to previous reports, police now believe that the victims had consumed alcohol sourced from different producers.

According to the BBC, Kenyan police have now arrested two suspects and are hunting others who may have fled since the deaths occurred.

Despite restrictions, homemade brew is popular throughout Kenya since many people cannot afford retailed alcohol.

Methanol and other industrial chemicals are often added to illegal batches of spirits in order to increase strength.

Homemade alcohol is legal in Kenya as long as it is commercially bottled and sold in licensed premises, according to regulations implemented in 2010.

Anyone found guilty of intentionally contaminating alcoholic drinks in Kenya could face five years in jail or a £67,713 fine.

This recent spate of toxic alcohol-related fatalities in Kenya follows the deaths of 45 people who drank methanol-laced spirits in June 2005.

Five years earlier, around 130 people died from a poisonous homemade batch of spirits in Nairobi.

It was also reported in October last year that bootlegged alcohol had killed 42 people in Northern India and left more than 50 in critical condition.