Police on June 5, 2023, seized bhang worth over Ksh1 million which had been planted at a private firm at the border of Gatundu North and Thika constituencies in Kiambu County.
The officers, who were acting on a tipoff, raided the firm where they found the bhang intercropped with other crops.
According to Gatundu North Sub-County police commander Ellen Wanjiku, 500 brooms of the outlawed crop were netted at the private firm where maize plantations have been planted on a large scale.
The bhang netted inside the firm and which was set for processing for sale to unknown markets has a market value of Ksh1.1 million.
Wanjiku told journalists that the seizure was part of an ongoing rapid response initiative which seeks to zero-rate outlawed substances including chang’aa and other illicit substances.
During the operation that involved police from both Gatundu North and Thika, chiefs, investigative officers and three other suspects were arrested and taken to Mwea Police Station for grilling.
“The suspects had intercropped the bhang with other plantations such as maize and which was to be distributed for use by our youths in Kamwangi, Gatukuyu and Mwea,” the police boss said.
Wanjiku blamed the plantation of the outlawed crop at the private firm for the failure of sleuths to have a breakthrough in the fight against the high uptake of bhang. The police boss vowed to work extra hard to eradicate the marijuana menace.
“This is a milestone in the fight against drugs. These have been the major suppliers of bhang in our neighbouring markets and with this achievement, we expect reduced uptake of the illicit substance which will help our youths concentrate on nation-building,” Wanjiku added.
She also revealed that police were considering spraying the firm to prevent the growth of other germinated bhang crops alongside instituting other measures to prevent further production.
“This was a well-coordinated and planned activity to deny our youths their future. Inside the firm are huge fences. They had disguised themselves as farming other farm produce to conceal the identity of bhang,” Wanjiku said.
The officer warned those engaging in the illicit business of outlawed substances that police were on the lookout and would not hesitate to arrest anyone found on the wrong side of the law.
On his part, Thika West Sub-County deputy police commander Moses Sirma said police would intensify patrols to weed out crooks still hellbent to continue with the illegal activities.
“We are collaborating to ensure that we bring all these culprits to book to protect our people and especially the youth,” Sirma said.
Additionally, he insisted that a further probe into the matter would continue to ensure all culprits are brought to book.
Gatundu North Deputy County Commissioner Julius Kavita told journalists that sleuths got a tipoff from the public and acted promptly to raid the firm.
Kavita, who revealed that the officers bought information about the matter, said that security officers will begin guarding the entire firm while conducting further interrogation to ascertain the possibility of other bhang growing.
“We want to weed out these criminals and bring to an end their activities to protect our youths in Gatundu North and South. We thank our multi-agency team that went an extra effort to buy the information that made us achieve this,” Kavita said.
