Kericho police seize bhang worth Sh4.9m

Police in Kericho on Thursday nabbed nine bags of the narcotics with a street value of Sh4.9 million in what is believed to be a major breakthrough in breaking the bhang smuggling ring in the region.

The bhang weighing 232 kilograms was packed in 90 kilogram bags and was stashed in a car boot.

According to Kericho County Police Commander James Mugera, the driver and a passenger of the Toyota Spacio ferrying the narcotics alighted and escaped on foot when they were flagged down at a road block.

They had defied orders from traffic policemen to stop in two other road blocks, according to the officer.

The vehicle was towed to Kericho Police Station.

Mr Mugera said police acted on a tip-off from members of the community policing in Ainamoi.

“Police are looking for the suspects and we are optimistic that they will be apprehended,” Mr Mugera said.

He appealed to members of the public to volunteer information to police and members of the community policing on criminal activities in the area.

Bhang selling and smoking has emerged as a major issue in Bomet and Kericho counties in the recent past with a number of dealers being arrested and prosecuted.

Alcohol and drugs are also being smuggled into learning institutions in the region resulting in school drop outs and poor performance in national examination by candidates.

Most of the bhang is sourced from Tanzania and Uganda and is transported in private vehicles, with dealers using rural roads that are not manned by traffic police officers.

Previously, sleek four wheel vehicles were used to transport bhang to evade being nabbed by the police in road blocks, but the dealers seem to have changed their mode of operation.