Online Reporter
Freeman Razemba, Senior Reporter
Police in Harare have busted an illicit alcoholic beverage manufacturing company in Southerton and recovered alcohol worth US$920,000.
Authorities have since arrested four foreigners and 42 employees.
National police spokesperson, Commissioner Paul Nyathi, confirmed the arrests.
He said that on 16 June 2026, detectives from the CID Drugs and Narcotics received information that the suspects were manufacturing illicit alcoholic beverages, popularly known as tumbwa.
“They visited the production plant at number 1 Brodie Avenue, Southerton, Harare, where they found that the manufacturing process was in poor and unhygienic condition. The floors, tanks, and machine surfaces and parts in contact with food processes were unsanitary, and the walls were visibly dirty. The 42 workers did not have food handler medical certificates to prevent communicable diseases, and this posed a risk of contamination of the manufacturing process, prompting their arrest.
“Workers were not wearing protective gear to prevent contamination of the manufacturing process. Ethanol was being stored in plastic containers, which compromised safety standards and increased the risk of fire. It also gave rise to the suspicion that the ethanol was potent ethanol used for industrial purposes,” Comm Nyathi said.
The suspects allegedly failed to produce Food Premises Sanitary Certificates and Food Certificates.
The suspects are alleged to have been manufacturing labels to brand their products as alcoholic drinks such as Bouncer Vodka, Kitoko Brandy, Challenger Gin, 8 PM Whisky, Royal 69 Liquor, Sixer Banana Spirit and Ice Cane Spirit.
They were allegedly mixing ethanol and different flavourings to make these brands.
Police said the alcohol content declared on the packaging was not substantiated by assay reports from the Government Analyst.
Comm Nyathi said the following materials were seized and were being used in the production of the illicit beverage:
149 x 250-litre ethanol (37,250 litres), 5,000 litres of ethanol in a steel tank, 10,000 litres of ethanol in a green plastic tank, six x 5,000-litre tanks of water, caramel and flavoured ethanol blend (finished product), 1,206 x 30 x 200 ml bottles of 8 PM whisky (36,900 bottles), 762 x 30 x 200 ml bottles of Bouncer Vodka (22,860 bottles), 647 x 30 x 20 ml bottles of Challenger Gin (19,410 bottles), 14 x 30 x 200 ml bottles of Ice Cane Spirit (420 bottles), 181 x 12 x 750 ml bottles of Ice Cane Spirit (2,172 bottles). He added that there were also two automated bottle-filling and packaging machines; five x 1,000-litre tanks used for blending; six x 10,000-litre stainless steel tanks; five mixers; four water purification tanks; 40 x one-tonne bags with empty bottles; 1,292 boxes of Beri cap bottle caps; 50 x 50 kg bags of plastic red bottle caps; 150 boxes of Kolor World bottle caps; 60 x 50 kg blue bottles; and 1,000 x 50 kg bags with blue bottle caps.
He said efforts are underway to arrest other company directors who are said to be in India.
The value of the seized materials and products is US$920,000, while the value of the finished illicit ginger drink is US$40,000. Police said the value of other products being blended with ethanol liquid was US$58,000.
