Detectives in Meru are following leads of an emerging trend where bhang traffickers are using teenagers as drug mules.
On Monday, two teenage passengers boarded a matatu at the Tea Room terminus in Nairobi en route to Maua, Meru County. The matatu touts at the terminus loaded a travel bag in the boot of the 10-seater matatu unaware of its contents. The teenage girls, aged 15 and 17, also had a rucksack, which made them appear like school girls.
However, Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) officers blew their cover when they intercepted the vehicle and directed the driver to the Meru County Criminal Investigations Office.
The officers recovered 25 stones of bhang from the travel bag belonging to the two girls. The consignment weighed 75 kilogrammes. According to the police, the bhang has a street value of Sh750,000.
Meru County Commander Patrick Labolia said they had received intelligence from members of public that several matatus heading to Meru were being used to ferry bhang.
“Thanks to our good relationship and collaboration with the public, our officers received information when the passengers boarded the matatu. Our sources indicated that several drug mules had boarded different vehicles en route to Meru. However, we managed to intercept one consignment," he said.
"We did not manage to recover drugs in the second vehicle but we learnt that the drug mules may have got wind of the operation."
Maua Shark Express Company Director Moses Kinyua said the two girls arrived at Tea Room on a motorcycle and boarded the matatu. "Our staff did not know what was in the luggage until the vehicle was intercepted by the police in Meru. It appears the traffickers have been using these means to transport their drugs," he said.
Mr Labolia said detectives are now pursuing the recipient after gathering information from the two suspects, who are now in custody.
"In the past, we have had a trend where bhang is transported through Meru to Nairobi. It now appears there is a change of tact among the traffickers. We are pursuing the key suspect who is already known," he said.
Meru County Commissioner Jacob Ouma said the region has been a conduit of drugs for long, leading to heightened surveillance. He said bhang and ethanol are the most trafficked drugs in and out of the county.
"It is unfortunate that drug traffickers are using minors in their dirty illegal business. We have given a stern warning to security personnel against colluding with them or aiding this illegal trade in the county," Mr Ouma said.
“Consumption of such drugs fuels teenage pregnancies, gender-based violence, defilement and family breakdowns. We have declared total war against drug trafficking in the county.”
Mr Abednego Kavoo, the County Criminal Investigations Officer, said investigators have now widened their dragnet to Maua area, where the drugs were to be delivered. He noted that long distance express matatu services make it harder for police to detect concealed consignments, especially in school bags.
