Isiolo police seize Sh15m bhang, arrest 2 GSU officers   

Bales of bhang that were seized while being transported in a government vehicle by two GSU officers at Gotu in Isiolo at Isiolo Police Station on May 24, 2020. PHOTO | WAWERU WAIRIMU | NATION MEDIA GROUP

What you need to know:

  • Acting on a tip off, the security team also arrested three civilians in a Toyota Prado that was trailing the government truck and recovered more bhang.
  • The administrator warned of stern action against police officers indulging in drug trafficking noting that such behaviour taint the government’s image.

Two General Service Unit officers have been arrested while transporting 600 kilogrammes of bhang worth Sh15 million in a government vehicle at Gotu in Isiolo County.

The two, a sergeant and a constable both attached to Mariara Police Station in Meru County, were arrested by multi-agency team while transporting the narcotics in a Toyota pick-up truck from Moyale.

The bhang was wrapped in polythene bags and packed in sacs.  

Acting on a tip off, the security team also arrested three civilians in a Toyota Prado that was trailing the government truck and recovered more bhang.

THREE CIVILIANS

“We have arrested two GSU officers and three civilians transporting 600 kilos of bhang in a government vehicle and personal car at Gotu,” said Isiolo County Commissioner Herman Shambi.

Mr Shambi said the three civilians, who are local residents including a juakali artisan, were among those being trailed by the security team for drug trafficking claims.

Mr Shambi said the five were detained at Isiolo Police Station and will be arraigned tomorrow.

The administrator warned of stern action against police officers indulging in drug trafficking noting that such behaviour taint the government’s image.

“We will not spare anyone and officers caught in drug business, the will be severely dealt with,” he said.

This comes barely a week after a man was nabbed in Isiolo town shortly after he had picked Sh1.5 million bhang consignment from another vehicle that had arrived from Moyale.

SPARE TYRE

The narcotics were hidden under the vehicle’s seats, and bonnet, while others were tucked in the Toyota Land Cruiser Prado’s spare tyre.

Last December, a police officer and prison warder attached to Marsabit GK Prison were arrested while transporting 20 kilos of bhang in a government vehicle at Lerata on the Isiolo-Moyale highway.

A month earlier, Emmanuel Matunda, a police officer attached to the Rapid Deployment Unit in Wajir County, was arrested with 15 kilogrammes of bhang in the same area.

The administrator asked parents to monitor their children’s movements to prevent them from being lured into such criminal activities.

He warned those in drug trafficking business that their days are numbered and that the security team will soon catch up with them.

“We have quite a number of people that we are trailing for drug trafficking and continue to appeal to the public to volunteer information so that we make more arrests and tame the vice,” Mr Shambi appealed.