By DCI
Last weekend, Police officers arrested five drug traffickers in Sabache area along the Moyale-Isiolo highway, Samburu County.
In the noon incident, a contingent of a special multi-agency team, braving the scorching sun that is synonymous with the upper eastern county, was manning a vehicle checkpoint they had mounted on the highway when a beige land cruiser hastily approached.
The Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) says the driver of the vehicle, who was acting suspiciously was ordered to stop and alight, to facilitate a proper search.
“Upon a detailed check of the vehicle conducted by a narcotic sniffer dog from the K-9 Eastern command, 41 stones of marijuana locally known as shashamane that was tightly wrapped in a khaki paper and sealed with heavy layers of tape were recovered,” DCI said in a post on their social media pages.
The stones that had been stashed in a concealed compartment under the rear seats of the vehicle weighed 73.6Kgs, with a street value of Kshs. 2,576,000.
“Intelligence leads indicate that the traffickers procure the drug from associates in a neighbouring country,” DCI notes.
Security has since been heightened along the busy highway after it was established that proceeds from the sale of the drugs were being used to fund criminal activities.
Police also said Kenyans should be reminded that marijuana is a prohibited drug and being found in possession, trafficking or growing the plant attracts heavy penalties of up to 20 years behind bars.
“Be advised accordingly and disregard any other misleading information,” noted the DCI.
