The government is intensifying its fight against illicit drugs and alcohol, moving beyond arrests and prosecutions to a strategy focused on seizing assets and freezing bank accounts of key players in the trade.

Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen outlined the tougher phase after chairing a multi-agency meeting, describing it as part of a broader national security strategy following President William Ruto’s declaration that drug and alcohol abuse constitutes a national emergency.

“Our target is the manufacturers, sellers and distributors of illicit drugs and alcohol. We are moving beyond prosecution to seizing assets and freezing accounts of those found culpable,” Murkomen said.

The CS emphasises that the government aims to dismantle not only street-level dealers but also the entire supply chains and financial networks behind the trade.

The crackdown comes against a backdrop of growing concern over the social and economic impact of substance abuse in Kenya. National statistics indicate that roughly one in six Kenyans aged 15-65 uses at least one substance of abuse, with initiation often beginning in adolescence.

Murkomen warned that any government official found complicit in these networks will face strict consequences, including dismissal.

“Police officers, National Government Administrative Officers, and any other civil servant who facilitates, protects or colludes with drug networks will lose their jobs,” he said.

The government’s approach is multi-layered, combining law enforcement, regulatory oversight, and financial interventions.

The Interior Ministry meeting brought together top security and regulatory officials, including National Intelligence Service (NIS) director general Noordin Haji, Inspector General of Police Douglas Kanja, Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) commissioner general Humphrey Wattanga, and the acting director general of the Asset Recovery Agency, Mark Ogonji.

Their mandate is to coordinate enforcement operations, financial investigations, and asset recovery.

Recent operations have already led to the seizure of significant quantities of illicit alcohol and narcotics, and multiple arrests. Courts are processing cases, but officials note that legal processes alone have not been enough to curb the trade. By targeting the financial backbone of criminal networks, the government hopes to cut off the incentives driving the illicit industry.

President Ruto has also announced the expansion of the Anti-Narcotics Unit (ANU) within the Directorate of Criminal Investigations from 200 to 700 officers.

The unit is now equipped with advanced surveillance, forensic, intelligence, and financial tracking tools. The government intends to use the seized assets to fund rehabilitation, prevention, and treatment programs, creating a cycle of enforcement and social support.

County governments have been directed to establish at least one rehabilitation centre per county to support affected individuals, reflecting an understanding that tackling drug abuse requires both law enforcement and social intervention.

The shift toward asset seizure reflects a global trend in counter-narcotics strategies, where striking at the economic interests of traffickers is often more effective than targeting only street-level operations.

By combining prosecution, financial disruption, and rehabilitation, the government aims to dismantle entrenched cartels that have long exploited loopholes in enforcement and regulation.

“This crisis demands decisive national action,” Ruto said, framing the strategy as a comprehensive, multi-agency effort to protect public health, safeguard national security, and secure the country’s social and economic future.

The escalated crackdown, now targeting the financial engines behind the drug trade, signals that Kenya is entering a more aggressive phase in its war on narcotics and illicit alcohol.