Bhang most abused in Taita Taveta County

National Campaign Against Alcohol and Drug Abuse (Nacada) has classified bhang as the most abused drug in Taita Taveta County.

Senior officials, led by CEO Dr William Okedi, recently paid a courtesy call on Taita Taveta Governor John Mruttu at his Wundanyi office and noted that a recent survey conducted by Nacada revealed that a large population of the local youth consume and peddle drugs.

He warned that the youth could destroy their lives  if quick action is not taken to address the problem.

“Unlike residents in other parts of the Coast region who abuse heroin and cocaine among other substances, the majority of residents here use bhang,” noted Okedi.

The Nacada boss further noted that the porous Kenya-Tanzania border at Taveta district, the Nairobi-Mombasa Highway and Voi-Mwatate-Taveta had become major conduit points for couriers of hard drugs,  bhang and other contraband.

Police on Thursday arrested four suspected drug dealers and recovered 44 rolls of bhang at Sofia Village in the outskirts of Voi town.

However, Richard Bitonga, the County Police Commander, said the suspects were not the masterminds, and warned that they were hunting down the main traffickers.

Police recently recovered another huge consignment of bhang from a Government vehicle along the Taveta-Mwatate route.

The consignment, which was impounded at a police road block at Maktau, was being escorted by four armed Administration Police Officers who have since been charged with being in possession of narcotic drugs.

In another incident, the police recovered  15 bags of bhang with a street value of about Sh2 million abandoned in a house in the outskirts of Mwatate town.

“Cases of transportation of bhang from Tanzanito tame the practice,” said Bitonga.

“Drug abuse among our youth is on the rise and we all need to do everything possible to rid the region of this threat”.

Mruttu had raised concern when smugglers began to transport larger consignments of bhang, disguised  as food, into the county.

Mruttu has identified the Nairobi-Mombasa highway and the Voi-Taveta road as major conduits for couriers of hard drugs and other illegal items.

“The main crimes in the county revolve around drug trafficking, which unfortunately, is rampant along the Voi-Taveta road and Nairobi-Mombasa highway,” said Mruttu.

Assistant County Commissioner Aswan Were noted that as a result of increased drug trafficking,   most youths had become criminals with a good number dropping out of school. Cases of mental illness are also on the rise.

He noted that farm work had declined as youths sought other pursuits.