Sacks of bhang seized from a house in Kiembeni, Mombasa. /DCIAn intelligence-led operation in Mombasa’s Jomvu area has led to the arrest of one suspected drug trafficker and the recovery of bhang by the Directorate of Criminal Investigations.
The DCI said in a statement the man in custody was driving a “suspicious Toyota Axio” within the Jomvu area along the Mombasa-Nairobi Road when he was arrested.
“A thorough search of the vehicle revealed large rolls of cannabis cleverly hidden in the boot, showcasing the lengths to which traffickers will go,” the statement read. It added that a simultaneous operation was conducted by officers from Kiembeni police station resulting in the seizure of six sacks of bhang in a house near Kiembeni Primary School.
“However, the suspected trafficker managed to slip away just as the officers arrived, evading capture,” the DCI said.
The arrested suspect, he added, was being held at the Jomvu police station where he was being processed pending arraignment.
“Meanwhile, detectives are intensifying their efforts to track down the elusive trafficker who narrowly escaped,” the DCI said, and encouraged the public to anonymously tip off officers through toll-free line 0800 722 203 should they witness anything suspicious in their location worth their attention.
Bhang has emerged as the most trafficked narcotic in recent days going by the amount of cache seized by police in bursts.
On Tuesday, a multiagency operation led by the DCI, the National Authority for the Campaign Against Alcohol and Drug Abuse (Nacada), the Anti-Narcotic Unit (ANU) and other law enforcement agencies seized 384 tariffs and 628 sticks of bhang, along with 21.5 liters of chang’aa, during an operation in the Pandipieri area of Migori county.
The tariffs were stored in a plastic water container. Two suspects were arrested at a house where a search yielded 40 tariffs and 230 sticks of suspected to be cannabis sativa.
Nacada chief executive officer Dr Anthony Omerikwa commended the collaborative working relations that led to the discovery of the drugs and subsequent arrest of suspects.
“This successful operation highlights the strength of our multi-agency approach in combating the proliferation of illicit drugs and alcohol. We are determined to safeguard communities from the adverse effects of substance abuse,” he said.
