A 44-year-old man has been arrested, and **Sh3.5 million** worth of bhang was seized in Athi River, Machakos County. The arrest occurred on Wednesday night when police officers conducted an operation at a store he was managing in Kwa Mang’eli village.
The police acted on a tip-off from the public, leading them to the store located in an unfinished building. According to a police report, “Acting on a tip-off from members of the public, police officers from Athi River police station, led by the OCS, conducted an operation and traced a store located at an unfinished building situated at Kwa Mang’eli area.
They managed to break into the store and recovered eight sacks containing Cannabis Sativa (bhang) weighing 115 kg, with a street value of Sh3,450,000.” The suspect was arrested while at the store and was escorted to Athi River police station along with the seized exhibit, which was stored at the station.
The suspect will be arraigned at Mavoko Law Courts in Machakos County once investigations are complete. Authorities have launched an investigation into the incident.
This arrest comes just two days after another operation in which police intercepted a motor vehicle carrying **Sh6.9 million** worth of bhang in Machakos Township. During that operation, the vehicle’s driver was arrested, and six registration plates belonging to different vehicles were recovered. Machakos County Commissioner Josephine Ouko reported that police intercepted the vehicle around midnight on Monday while it was transporting two sacks of bhang weighing 200 kg.
The driver claimed he was transporting the consignment from Migori to Kitui County, a claim that authorities are currently unable to verify. The vehicle was impounded at Machakos police station, and Ouko addressed the press about the ongoing efforts to combat drug trafficking in the area.
