A 25-year-old man has been arrested in Busia after detectives allegedly found 1,121 rolls of bhang concealed in mobile phone boxes. The suspect was intercepted by officers from the National Anti-Narcotics Investigations Bureau (NANIB) as he prepared to board a Nairobi-bound bus. According to the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI), the arrest followed intelligence received by detectives that narcotic drugs were being transported to the capital.
The DCI said the suspect was carrying a small bag that appeared harmless, but a search revealed seven mobile phone boxes stuffed with rolls of bhang. The agency said the bag contained no phones, only the concealed drugs. The suspect was arrested, and detectives secured the suspected drugs as exhibits. He was taken to Busia Police Station, where he was being processed ahead of his arraignment in court.
The arrest comes weeks after two people were arrested in Kitui over suspected trafficking of cannabis sativa. The DCI said the first suspect was arrested at Kitui Police Station after officers discovered bhang hidden inside a parcel of rice allegedly intended for a remandee. The agency said the suspect attempted to take the parcel through the police station gates, but officers conducting checks noticed something unusual and inspected its contents.
The DCI said sharp-eyed officers on duty peeled back the rice to expose 69 rolls of bhang and 33 matchsticks hidden within a parcel of rice meant for the inmate. The suspect was arrested at the station and taken into custody. In a separate incident, police intercepted another suspected narcotics consignment along the Thika-Garissa Highway at Kanyonyoo.
A multi-agency security team manning a roadblock stopped a Public Service Vehicle travelling from Kitui to Embu during routine security checks. Officers searched the vehicle’s luggage and discovered a pink briefcase in the rear boot. The briefcase was allegedly linked to the second suspect, who was travelling in the vehicle. Inside lay 13 bales of cannabis sativa, tightly wrapped in yellow sealing tape.
The second suspect was arrested at the scene. The arrests add to law enforcement agencies’ efforts to disrupt the transportation and distribution of narcotics across the country. The DCI said the arrests were a result of intelligence-led operations aimed at curbing the trafficking of narcotics.
The Kenyan authorities have been cracking down on narcotics trafficking in recent weeks. The US has raised concerns over Kenya's trafficking prosecution record. The authorities have arrested several suspects and seized large quantities of narcotics in various parts of the country. The efforts aim to curb the trafficking and distribution of narcotics.
Key points
- A 25-year-old man was arrested in Busia with 1,121 rolls of bhang concealed in mobile phone boxes.
- Two people were arrested in Kitui over suspected trafficking of cannabis sativa following the interception of two separate consignments.
- The arrests add to law enforcement agencies’ efforts to disrupt the transportation and distribution of narcotics across the country.
