The Uganda National Bureau of Standards (UNBS) has seized 17,770 litres of illicit alcohol from several business premises in Nakulabye and Kiwunya suburbs of Kampala following complaints from consumers about the sale of substandard alcoholic products.

The enforcement operation also resulted in the discovery of approximately 8,500 litres of unlabelled neutral spirit and about 600 bottles of uncertified gin, raising concerns about compliance with Uganda's standards governing the production, packaging and sale of alcoholic beverages.

According to the findings of the surveillance operation, the seized gin products included brands identified as Timing, Soccer/Socar, Kyakabi, Revo and Cheza.

The operation targeted several shops and storage facilities suspected of handling non-compliant alcoholic products, with UNBS acting under the UNBS Act, Cap 210, the UNBS Market Surveillance Regulations, 2022, and applicable product standards.

At Brenda Beverages and Logistics Shop in Nakulabye, inspectors seized 216 pieces of uncertified gin, while another 350 bottles were recovered from Mwanguhya Shop in Kiwunya.

The surveillance exercise further uncovered large quantities of illicit alcohol and unlabelled neutral spirit stored at different premises within the affected areas.

Happy Emmanuels Stores recorded the largest seizure, with UNBS confiscating 9,120 litres of illicit alcohol alongside 4,500 litres of neutral spirit packed in 18 drums.

At Fred Asiimwe's Store, inspectors recovered 2,320 litres of illicit alcohol and approximately 4,000 litres of unlabelled neutral spirit contained in 16 drums.

Other affected businesses included Harriets Shop, where 3,500 litres of illicit alcohol were seized, and Lillies Quality Suppliers, which had 1,570 litres confiscated.

UNBS also seized 1,060 litres from Musoke Adolf Shop and another 200 litres from Nakulabye Super Waragi and Spirit.

The operation was conducted in accordance with applicable standards, including US EAS 109:2018, which specifies requirements for potable spirits, and US 1028:2013, which provides labelling requirements for pre-packaged products.

The regulator's market surveillance mandate includes identifying and removing products that fail to comply with compulsory standards. Section 20 of the UNBS Act prohibits the manufacture, sale, distribution or possession for sale of products that do not comply with compulsory Uganda Standards.

Following the operation, UNBS has encouraged consumers to exercise caution when purchasing alcoholic beverages by checking whether products are properly labelled and certified.

The bureau has also urged members of the public to report suspected uncertified, improperly labelled or otherwise non-compliant products to the relevant authorities for investigation.

Consumers are encouraged to pay attention to product information and avoid purchasing alcoholic beverages whose certification and labelling cannot be verified.

The latest enforcement exercise forms part of UNBS's broader responsibility to protect public health, safety and the environment through the enforcement of product standards.

UNBS conducts market surveillance to identify non-compliant products and strengthen consumer confidence in goods available on the Ugandan market. Its activities also aim to promote fair competition by protecting businesses that comply with established standards from unfair competition by non-compliant operators.

The Uganda National Bureau of Standards is mandated to develop, promote and enforce standards to protect public health, safety and the environment.

The institution also works to ensure fairness in trade and precision in industry through reliable measurement systems.

Through inspections, certification and market surveillance, UNBS seeks to ensure that products supplied to Ugandan consumers meet applicable quality and safety requirements.

The seizure of thousands of litres of illicit alcohol in Nakulabye and Kiwunya highlights the importance of continued market surveillance and public cooperation in identifying products that do not comply with national standards.