ZAMBIAN BREWERIES COMMENDS LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES FOR DECISIVE ACTION AGAINST ILLICIT ALCOHOL

Seizure at COMESA Market signals growing resolve to protect public health and the formal economy 

LUSAKA, ZAMBIA – Zambian Breweries Plc has commended the Zambia Police Service, Zambia Revenue Authority, Immigration Department, Department of National Parks and Wildlife, National Anti-Terrorism Centre, Zambia Environmental Management Agency (ZEMA) and Cycorp for the recent enforcement operation at COMESA Market and other outlets in Lusaka, which resulted in the seizure of a significant quantity of illicit alcohol. 
The operation, conducted on 5-9th October 2026 led by the Southern African Regional Police Chiefs Cooperation Organisation (SARPCCO), and the Eastern Africa Police Chiefs Cooperation Organisation (EAPCCO) with support from the Internal Regional Bureaus led to the confiscation of 6,528 Bottles of assorted illicit alcohol valued at EIGHT MILLION THREE HUNDRED THIRTY-TWO THOUSAND EIGHT HUNDRED KWACHA (ZMW 8,332,800).  
Zambian Breweries Country Director, Thais Cavinatto said the action demonstrated the progress that could be made when enforcement is visible, coordinated and sustained. 
“We sincerely commend the Zambia Police Service, the Zambia Revenue Authority and all the agencies involved for this decisive intervention. Illicit alcohol threatens public health, exposes consumers to unsafe products, contributes to underage drinking and undermines law-abiding businesses. Enforcement of this kind sends a clear message that the trade will not be allowed to operate with impunity,” said Ms Cavinatto. 
She noted that the seizure was particularly encouraging given the scale of the problem. According to the Coalition Against Illicit Alcohol (CAIA) and independent research by Euromonitor, illicit alcohol accounts for approximately 71 per cent of alcohol consumed in Zambia. Such products are unregulated, often contain unknown ingredients in unspecified quantities, and cost the Treasury revenue that could otherwise fund schools, hospitals and other essential services. 
“When more than two-thirds of the alcohol consumed in the country falls outside the regulated market, this is no longer an industry concern alone. It is a public health, economic and societal challenge that demands collective action. We are grateful to the officers who carried out this operation, often in difficult conditions, to keep unsafe products off the shelves and out of our communities,” she added. 
Ms. Cavinatto reaffirmed Zambian Breweries’ commitment to supporting enforcement efforts through partnership. The company is a member of the CAIA and continues to advance its Smart Drinking agenda, which champions age verification, responsible retailing and safer choices. Through its Growing Retailers Innovatively Together (GRIT) programme, Zambian Breweries also trains retailers in responsible business practices, helping to formalise small outlets and reduce the space in which illicit trade can thrive. 
Speaking on the same matter, Zambian Breweries Corporate Affairs Director Chipego Zulu encouraged members of the public to play their part by buying only from licensed outlets, insisting on genuine, certified products and reporting suspected illicit trading to the relevant authorities. 
“Lasting change will come when enforcement, regulation, industry and the public pull in the same direction. We stand ready to support the Zambia Police Service, various law enforcement agencies, and all our partners with our expertise, resources and networks,” Ms Zulu concluded. 
Zambian Breweries, Zambia’s largest brewer and part of Anheuser-Busch InBev, has operated in the country since 1968. The company remains one of the country’s leading manufacturing investors and taxpayers, having contributed approximately K2.5 billion in taxes in 2025, a 30 per cent increase on the previous year.