In a recent operation conducted by law enforcement personnel in the Ngara region of Nairobi, three individuals have been apprehended, and a significant quantity of bhang has been confiscated. The seized bhang weighed a total of 466 kilograms. Alongside this, a substantial sum of Ksh13 million in cash was discovered within the premises, concealed under a mattress in one of the rooms. The police are designating this money as proceeds from illicit activities. The suspects are scheduled to appear in court on Wednesday for further legal proceedings.
The operation was executed by a specialized team from a transnational organized crime unit. This team targeted a store located in the Kariowa slums of the Ngara area, which was known to be owned by an individual involved in drug trafficking. Reliable intelligence had indicated that the suspects were involved in repackaging the narcotics for eventual distribution within the city.
The sacks containing the seized bhang had recently arrived in the city from the western part of the country before the police intervention. In response to this situation, detectives from the Anti Narcotics Unit collaborated in detaining the three suspects to initiate the necessary legal processes.
Complaints have arisen highlighting the Ngara area as a significant distribution hub within the city. This region often serves as a central point for the distribution of bhang originating from western Kenya and Ethiopia. The Ngara and Mathare slums are often the next destinations in the distribution chain, facilitating the movement of these illicit substances to other markets.
Notably, there has been a notable increase in the frequency of narcotics seizures in recent times. In a previous operation on August 4, authorities in Moyale confiscated 500 kilograms of bhang and apprehended a single suspect in a covert mission aimed at curbing narcotic trafficking in the region.
This operation was launched based on intelligence suggesting the presence of a suspicious consignment within a thicket at Kate in Moyale. Law enforcement officers responded promptly, intercepting a trailer carrying 99 bales of the illicit drug, with an estimated street value of Sh10 million. During this operation, the trailer driver was detained. Additionally, a confrontation ensued with two suspected accomplices who attempted to flee on a motorcycle while firing at the officers. In the ensuing exchange, one suspect sustained a gunshot wound and was subsequently taken to Moyale Hospital for medical treatment.
Research into police investigations indicates that a significant portion of bhang consumed across the country originates from Ethiopia, where the substances are packaged for distribution in Nairobi and other major urban centers. This trend has prompted concerns, leading to multiple arrests and seizures in 2021. Traffickers have been observed utilizing oil tankers to transport their illegal cargo into the country, often exploiting the porous Kenya-Ethiopia border for their activities.
Moyale, situated in northern Kenya along the border, has emerged as a key entry point for large quantities of bhang, which is extensively cultivated in Southern Ethiopia. After leaving Shashamane, a central location for such activities, the bhang travels southward to border points including Moyale, Sololo, Corolla, Uran, and Dukana. Alternatively, some traffickers opt for the Mandera, Wajir, Garissa route. Another route takes them from Funannyata in Sololo, Marsabit county, to the Yamicha plains of Merti subcounty in Isiolo.
Following these routes, the illicit consignments eventually reach urban areas like Eastleigh, Majengo, and Mlango Kubwa, where they are repackaged and subsequently distributed. In a notable incident from March 2020, law enforcement officials apprehended an individual with 56 bales of bhang, cunningly packaged to resemble second-hand clothing.