Police in Central Kenya have intensified surveillance along major highways and river banks in efforts to nab drugs and illicit brews that have become common vice in the area.
The Central Regional Commissioner (RC), Wilfred Nyagwanga said most drugs, especially bhang find their way into the region from other parts of the country with traffickers using new tricks to reach their market.
He said they will not allow traffickers to make the region illicit drugs hub killing the dreams of the youth who abuse the substances.
Speaking when he destroyed illicit brews, gaming machines and bhang of unknown value in Thika’s Starehe grounds on Thursday, the RC said security personnel will work closely with local residents and will also embrace technology to deal with the menace.
He said the police have identified new tricks that the traffickers use to reach the area, saying in most cases, they stake it into parcels.
“Once packed as a parcel, no one will notice and will safely reach its destination. We are alert on this,” he said.
About 50 kilograms of bhang was netted in Juja Sub-county making the area earmarked as the most notorious for cannabis trade in the County.
Some 40 litres of molasses were nabbed in Gatundu South and a total of 110 gaming machines were seized from various parts of Kiambu County.
“Now that we have noted the type of crime associated with certain sub counties, we shall focus our efforts where certain crime is prominent. We know Juja is prominent in bhang trade and we shall not relent in its fight,” he said.
He added that with the use of drones along River Chania, the Kiambu County Security Committee has managed to eradicate chang’aa brewing that was notorious along the river in Gatundu North Sub-county.
The RC said drone surveillance will be extended to the neighbouring Athi River that borders Machakos, after revelations of massive manufacture of the chang’aa.
“We shall work closely with the security team in Machakos County, seal all the entries that brewers from that part use to ferry Chang’aa into Central Kenya and will swing into action immediately,” he said.
By Muoki Charles
