Truck driver held with Sh6m worth of bhang
Sacks of Bhang found earlier in Kisauni, Mombasa in this file photo. Police officers in Athi-River are holding a Tanzanian truck driver after he was found ferrying 15 sacks of bhang towards Nairobi Saturday evening.
What you need to know:
- The arrested suspect said that he had collected the bhang in Namanga and claims that the escapees were the owners of the bhang.
Police officers in Athi-River are holding a Tanzanian truck driver after he was found ferrying 15 sacks of bhang towards Nairobi Saturday evening.
Athi River police officers told Daily Nation that the bhang had a street value of Sh6million.
The arrest comes three days after three sacks of bhang valued at Sh1.5million found in Kajiado town while being transported from Namanga to Nairobi, one suspect was arrested.
The bhang is feared to cross the border from the neighbouring country Tanzania to Kenya.
Two other suspects alleged to be the bhang owners, who were in the same vehicle escaped when the police officers were scrutinizing the content of the consignment at Mlolongo weighbridge.
The truck that was ferrying maize from Tanzania to Nairobi had sacks of bhang hidden in the sacks of maize.
Police acting on a tip off from members of the public trailed the vehicle before arresting the driver of Tanzanian origin.
Confirming the incident, Athi-river DCIO David Wangai said that police are on high alert to counter drug dealers who have recently been ferrying hard drugs together with other goods.
“CID officers are working closely with police officers to ensure that drug dealers are arrested because presently drug trafficking has been on the rise. The drug traffickers manage to evade arrest by masquerading to be transporting other goods. We have therefore intensified inspections on goods on transit, “said Wangai.
The arrested suspect said that he had collected the bhang in Namanga and claims that the escapees were the owners of the bhang.
``I was ferrying maize to Nairobi and upon arrival to Namanga two men who were along the road with sacks stopped me and asked if I could help them ferry their luggage. Given that it was late in the night and they claimed to have had a puncture while heading to Nairobi I offered to assist them without even confirming what was in the sacks,’’ the driver told Daily Nation.
The driver was held at Mlolongo police station and will be arraigned in Mavoko law court Monday.
