Police have arrested six suspects linked to bhang peddling in a bar located in Kitengela.
The suspects had fooled one too many, but not some members of the public, who informed the police officers of the heinous crime committed even in broad daylight.
The officers raided the bar and unravelled that the cigarettes openly displayed on the bar’s counter were in essence, bhang rolls packaged as cigarettes.
The bhang is believed to be smuggled from neighbouring Ethiopia, with the mastermind suspected to be a middle-aged woman who is still on the run.
However, the police have vowed to smoke her out of her hiding place and ensure she faces the wrath of the law.
Raid for bhang in bars
Following the tip-off, Kitengela OCS led a contingent of police officers to the den of crime.
The officers raided Migingo, Kyangombe and a pub in Kitengela town centre, locations believed to be drug peddling hubs.
The raid was fruitful, as they arrested six suspects, and impounded two Kilograms of dried bhang, 30 rolls of bhang and 20 litres of illicit brew (Chang’aa).
One suspect was re-arrested in a pub in Kyangombe estate, while in possession of two kilograms of bhang.
The same suspect had been arrested a week before when he was caught in possession of 900 rolls of bhang.
However, the suspect managed to pay a fine of Ksh70,000 to secure his release.
Police now say the raid led to the hideout of a suspected drug leader believed to be a former military officer. The police are now in pursuit of him, together with the middle-aged woman alleged to be bringing the illicit drug from Ethiopia.
According to the officers, the woman brings in the bhang and supplies to the supposed ex-military man, who then ensures it gets to the faithful consumers.
Kitengela police are now hell-bent on capturing the two suspects who are said to be on the run.
“We will smoke him out of his secret hideouts. We are also looking for a middle-aged woman suspected to be his supplier,” a police source told a local publication.
‘Chang’aa pool
Things were not as per the norm and neither was the raid smooth in Migingo, as police were forced to access a dungeon of chang’aa (illicit brew) through the window of a pub.
The raid caught the bar owner on alert. He swiftly poured out the illicit brew and took off without a trace.
Despite losing a grip on the suspect, police managed to impound 30 litres of the illicit brew and second-generation liquor from a shop neighbouring the chang’aa den.
“We have made a breakthrough in uncovering how they sell it openly. We are now going after the suppliers,” Isinya Sub-county Police Commander Patrick Manyasi said.
Manyasi also declared war on drug peddlers, sending out a warning that the government will not watch them destroy youths.
“It will not be business as usual from now on. Operations will be intensified, “the Police Commander declared.
The operations follow Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua’s public declaration of the fight against illicit brew and bhang.
Gachagua recently held a meeting with county commanders and other officers and instructed them to ensure all centres selling illicit brew were closed and owners taken to court.
