Beneath the plumes of smoke rising from Harare’s industrial areas, a dangerous secret thrives.
Behind locked gates and guarded warehouses, illegal breweries churn out thousands of litres of toxic alcohol daily, flooding the streets with cheap, lethal concoctions that have left authorities scrambling — and consumers fighting for their lives.
In the dim glow of a makeshift distillery in Arlington Industrial Park, workers move hurriedly between steaming vats, mixing ethanol, flavouring and water.
The air reeks of chemicals strong enough to corrode metal.
Here, Jay-Dox Vodka, Happy Cheers Whisky, and other banned brands are bottled and shipped to bars across the city — despite a Government crackdown.
“The money is too good to stop,” whispers a former worker, his voice trembling. “But the stuff we make . . . it burns through containers in weeks. Imagine what it does to people.”
Police raids have uncovered horrifying conditions: rusted equipment, filthy production rooms, and unlabelled chemicals.
Yet, demand for these cheap, potent drinks — mockingly called tumbwa or kambwa — keeps the underground factories running.
Many imbibers show little concern for the alcoholic content or origin of these products, focusing solely on the desire to get high, and high they get even to their death.
This is because the unregulated nature of these breweries means that the alcoholic beverages produced can be hazardous.
Without proper quality control measures, the risk of consuming toxic substances increases, leading to potential health crises among consumers.
Recently, authorities imposed a ban on the production and distribution of illicit alcoholic beverages, specifically those made with ethanol, commonly known as musombodhiya or kambwa ,
But the law has done little to stop the trade.
Last week, police arrested 32 people, including seven foreign nationals, running an unlicenced brewery in Harare.
Five trucks loaded with illegal alcohol were seized, along with luxury cars — proof of the millions flowing through this shadow economy.
“The suspects had a liquor licence from local authorities but violated national laws,” said Police Spokesperson Commissioner Paul Nyathi.
“They were producing dangerous, untested alcohol with no regard for safety.”
Some manufacturers go beyond potency — they peddle lies.
In March, Cecilia Mutete, director of Mauya Ginger Drinks, admitted to fooling customers with false labels claiming her products “boosted immunity” and “healed joints”.
After a raid, police destroyed US$30 000 worth of stock, but Mutete walked away with just a US$600 fine.
Meanwhile, in Southerton, another raid exposed a ginger beer operation brewing in squalor, with mould-covered walls and open chemical drums.
Police were aghast — yet similar factories still operate under cover of darkness not only in Harare but around Zimbabwe.
Sources reveal that a powerful syndicate, often led by foreign businessmen, controls much of Harare’s illicit alcohol trade.
They bribe officials, forge documents, and disappear before raids — leaving low-level workers to face arrest
Some of the banned brands bottled and ready for shipping to bars across the country
“These people don’t care who dies,” says a police investigator. “They change brand names weekly, use fake labels and move locations. It’s an empire built on addiction.”
From September 2024 to January 2025, police arrested 9 527 people and dismantled 79 illegal drug bases. But with demand high and profits higher, the underground breweries keep adapting.
Apart from the illegal brews, that also include fermented bevarages with alcohol content, that are sold in shops there is a wide array of drugs that people are taking.
From Codeine to methamphetamine, commonly known as crystal meth or mutoriro, the landscape of substance misuse is both diverse and alarming.
Other prevalent substances include glue, Broncleer (often called Bronco), and various solvents like Fembo and Genkem. Even more concerning are the addictive qualities of cannabis, which circulates under numerous street names such as Mbanje and Ganja.
Several factors fuel this epidemic. Peer pressure is a powerful force, drawing young people into a world where substance use is normalised.
The impact of broken families often leaves emotional scars, while physical and emotional abuse can push individuals toward drugs as a coping mechanism.
Curiosity also plays a role, as many young people seek out new experiences without fully understanding the risks involved.
